The Spider's Web
by Rondomness
Summary: Kaname has no choice but to stay if he doesn't want everything he's been fighting for destroyed, but in this endless darkness, does the prize really stand up to the bet?
1. Perfect By Nature

**The Spider's Web by Rondomness**

**Rating:** M

**Summary:** Kaname has no choice but to stay if he doesn't want everything he's been fighting for destroyed, but in this endless darkness, does the prize really stand up to the bet?

**Warnings:** Torture/whump on poor, young Kaname. And later on also some (very little) yaoi non-con. Angst and violence.

**Spoilers:** For chapter 10, 11, 12, 28 and 48/all chapters mentioning Ichiou and Kaname's relation…

**Pairings:** Too young for true pairings, but some fluffy Kaname x Yuki. And Ichiou x Kaname in a twisted non-con way. Takuma and Kaname friendship. Mentions of Rido.

**A/N:** As promised, a story with Ichiou and Kaname set around 8-9 years before the main storyline in the manga. This chapter's title is taken from the Evanescence song Everybody's Fool as I think that song fits rather well. Other Evanescence songs fits good too, like Sweet Sacrifice, Going Under and Bring Me To Life.

As no dates are used in the manga, I can only guess about some ages and events but Kaname is around 13, maybe 14 years old at this time. This fic is rated M because of some yaoi scenes and because it deals with some quite heavy themes as torture, desperation, self-hatred and other such stuff, although I promise to put in the sweet comfort scenes in between.

**Disclaimer:** This fanfic is for entertainment purposes only, no money is being made from it. The characters are made by Hino Matsuri. I do NOT own Vampire Knight nor any of the things mentioned in here.

**Chapter 1:** **Perfect by Nature**

"Did you enjoy your stay, Kaname?"

Kaname didn't reply. It was terribly degrading and the pureblood wouldn't bring even more shame onto himself. He just slowly walked to the door, looking down in the floor and wondering how much it would hurt if he made the entire building fall down on himself, of course only after he'd gotten out of here. Apparently, his silence didn't please his sadistic guardian.

A flat backhand hit Kaname in the face and Ichiou's voice hissed in his ear. "I asked if you enjoyed your stay in here. Do you think you've learned to obey yet?" Kaname slowly nodded, not because he had any idea what he could do to prevent it from happening next time, but simply because he didn't wanted to practically invite the other to hit him again.

Even as he held no other wish than to hit the man back, to destroy him with a mere thought, Kaname was powerless in here. When he was let outside of this room, which was protected by hunter charms, he could at least heal up from his guardian's fists. Kaname always felt so disgustingly weak in here, he couldn't heal, could barely move and breathe.

"Come here," the noble said and grabbed Kaname's arm, pulling him out the door and up the stairs, the boy trying to keep up with him. Ichiou was not a very sensible person, to an even smaller extent when it was Kaname. And Kaname knew that Ichiou was quite happy that his ward healed so swiftly that it wouldn't seem suspicious.

"Now, disappear from my sight," Ichiou snorted irritated, releasing Kaname and shoving him against the door to the hallway. Kaname allowed himself to give his guardian a long, hateful glare before leaving his office and making his way to his huge room.

At least, his room was big, bright and comfortable. But then again, of course Ichiou couldn't give him a room which obviously looked more like a prison cell. But even as it didn't look like a cell, Kaname knew it was. Guards outside on the lawn, under his window, outside his door. Guards everywhere to hold him caged in here. Or, if you asked his guardian "to make sure that nothing happened to the precious pureblood."

Kaname walked into his own private bathroom. He splashed some water on his face and studied his mirror reflection. It was a huge mirror, covering an entire wall in the bathroom, allowing Kaname to see all of his body in the reflection.

The big, purple welts on his arms were beginning to turn yellowish and when Kaname took off his shirt, he saw that they continued up to his shoulder and down over his chest. The pain coming whenever he moved told Kaname that the rest of his body was decorated in the same way, purple and blue welts and marks everywhere. Although the worst part of the beating was over, Kaname was still sore and he would be it at least a few hours more, even with pureblooded healing. His face, too, had suffered some damage, there was a faint shadow on one of his cheekbones and his lips were swollen due to some fists he'd gotten directly in the face.

Some of the welts resembled fingers, they came whenever Ichiou grabbed Kaname harshly and threw him into something. Others were bigger and squared, reminders of his guardian's fists which always seemed to come from nowhere.

But Kaname wasn't one to cry, even when he wanted to. Instead, he lightly prodded on one of the marks on his arm. It hurt a little. Fortunately, the welts would be gone in a couple of hours which was just enough time to arrive to dinner. Kaname would be sad to skip dinner, he was thirsty to an extent were a constant, irritating dryness in his throat made itself known with every breath. It felt like nails scratching the inside of his neck.

He gave himself one last look in the mirror before letting go of his trousers and taking a bath. The small, warm drops calmed Kaname down, enabling him to think everything through. Actually, it was close to a month ago that he'd ran off to meet Yuki, which meant that he could escape the old man's grip again soon. That thought made him smile, he longed to see Yuki again. It was fun to see her grow up, she was close to eleven now and he always wondered how much she'd grown from last time he'd seen her. To Kaname, who had a pureblood's eyes, the changes were clear and he enjoyed watching her evolve each time he arrived.

How much would it take to escape within the next week? First of all, Kaname needed some kind of arrangement keeping Ichiou busy all day so there at least was a chance that he could escape without getting discovered and punished. Maybe, he could ask Takuma for help, the blond noble was only a few months younger and even though they were on different sides in the political and bloody world of vampires, he was a good friend. Takuma had helped him escape a few times before, it was practical to have an ally close enough to Ichiou to dare finding out about his plans. In front of Takuma, his grandfather always put up a façade of complete control, much like he did in front of guests and some of the less important council members.

Actually, it was only about two or three other members, all the Elders, those in control, who knew about the beatings and Kaname was quite sure that they would have done exactly the same if he'd been living at their houses.

Damn that impudent boy. He barely let out a sound even though Ichiou knew how much it had to hurt while he hit the pureblood. He'd never cried, screamed or begged for mercy and it irritated the noble to no end. It was almost like the little pureblood was made of stone and even though Ichiou always wrung a response from his delicate lips, Kaname continued to defy his guardian to the last.

Ichiou nuzzled the handle of his mahogany cane, wondering if it would leave welts so deep that Kaname would start bleeding if he hit the pureblood with the cane next time. But it didn't matter, Kaname wouldn't disobey him the next couple of days. Or would he? It was almost a month ago that he'd sneaked out last. Ichiou had discovered him and waited for him upon his return.

The old noble always loved when Kaname sneaked out, it gave him an excuse to punish the pureblood harder than he would have been able to else. Although he was beginning to suspect that Kaname sometimes managed to sneak out without Ichiou noticing. That was deeply annoying and a major problem. If Kaname didn't get thoroughly punished whenever he left, that boy would begin to get all kinds of wrong ideas about being free enough to escape without being discovered. Kaname shouldn't think that he could get any free reign, he would begin to take liberties like the one he'd taken when Ichiou had locked him out today. How had Kaname dared glare at him like that?

A faint uneasiness began to gnaw at his insides. Was Kaname evolving into a problem? Did he plan to do something rash? It seemed unlikely. Kaname was the type of child to stay silent and think everything through and if he got just a little brain, he would figure out that he was mentally chained, unable to do anything if he didn't want to end in a small, locked cellar. No, the situation was under control, Kaname was just being difficult again. But Ichiou was sure that he had to _take care_ of Kaname's continued defiance. The pureblood had to be harnessed, had to be suppressed. He had to understand who was in charge if he should work like the Council wanted him to.

Of course, the Council was the main reason for disciplining Kaname like that, even the reason for bothering to be his guardian in the first place. But the real reason in Ichiou's eyes was the possibility that maybe someday, it would be too much, Kaname would break and allow the noble to take what he so badly craved. It was almost physically hurtful to watch Kaname live in his house, completely at his mercy and yet being denied that pure, sweet blood. Ichiou was not a man used to be denied anything and even though he could do nothing but give small indications of wanting the blood, he swore to himself that he would stop at nothing to force Kaname to grant him his wish. Unfortunately, it seemed like Kaname was ready to tolerate anything and Ichiou still hadn't found a way to break him completely.

Ichiou had multiple times thought of following Kaname when he sneaked out and catch him while he did whatever it was that he needed to do so badly that he would risk extreme punishment almost every month. If the pureblood just needed a break from his constant restrictions, Ichiou could use it to nothing. But if Kaname sneaked out to meet somebody, Ichiou might have discovered the person who meant more to Kaname than his own body, and maybe also more than his own blood. Maybe, he could arrange a fake meeting and then follow Kaname if he planned to escape. No, he wouldn't dare, not after such a beating. Normally, there went at least a week after a beating before Kaname defied him again.

Kaname was constantly on the look out to avoid doing anything wrong, just like Ichiou always looked for the slightest misbehavior in his ward. He hit him at the slightest sign of defiance and was there nothing in a long time, he hit him anyway.

As usual, Kaname's face betrayed nothing at dinnertime, a collected façade of control and indifference. He didn't even flinch when Ichiou casually rested his hand on Kaname's shoulder. Takuma didn't see anything and just went on and on about how he was going to beat Kaname in chess. Takuma never saw what happened between his grandfather and his friend, he didn't see the war racing between their minds.

Ichiou used the short time after dinner to deal with some paperwork while Kaname and Takuma played chess. His grandson had just learned the pureblood to play a few weeks ago but after two games, Kaname never lost again. That was the difference between the two children. Physically, they were much alike, almost the same age and both glowing with a vampire's unnatural beauty.

But Kaname was different, not only from Takuma but from everybody around him. His beauty was even more pronounced, his blood a true bliss to every vampire. Like all purebloods, Kaname possessed special abilities such as control and eternal life. Like the everlasting fragrance of flowers.

"Checkmate," Kaname said as he toppled Takuma's king. There was no superiority in his voice, just a faint hint of satisfaction. Takuma stared at the king, mouth open and eyes wide. He hadn't noticed Kaname's position at all although everybody considered him a chess genius, he'd played chess since the age of five and now, his friend beat him each and every time even as Kaname'd first learned the rules a couple weeks ago. "How did you do that?" Takuma asked, his eyes still wide open as he tried to grasp the situation.

Kaname shrugged lightly, to him it'd been quite an obvious move. Except from a little soreness, he didn't suffer from the brutal assault anymore. "Takuma, you don't know about any possible meetings or anything, do you?" Kaname asked conversationally, if Ichiou by any chance should listen to their conversation. Takuma quickly understood what the matter was about, after all he'd been seated in the car so many times and watched Kaname smile like he never did here. He was such a different person when he was with Yuki.

"I don't think he has any arrangements the next few days, but I'll try to find out," he responded. He didn't know of any, but just watching Kaname have those short hours of happiness was precious to him. Although he had no idea how much Kaname really suffered, he knew well that Kaname didn't have a moment's peace here. "Maybe we could…"

"Shh, he comes," Kaname warned, having noticed Ichiou before his friend was able to. Takuma sat silent for a moment before continuing like nothing had happened. "I can't believe you won again," Takuma complained, pretending that their last conversation didn't happen and immediately picking up on the previous subject. Kaname gave him a half smile. Takuma was not only a friend his own age, he was an ally although he knew nothing of the war.

Kaname ignored Ichiou completely when his guardian reentered, although he did his best to make Kaname uncomfortable. "Go to bed, both of you, it's almost 6 o'clock in the morning," Ichiou commented. He was tired himself and he didn't want Kaname to be awake while he slept. 6 o'clock in the morning was something similar to 11 o'clock in the evening for a vampire and as a pureblood, Kaname was even more sensitive in his nocturnal behavior, so he was willing to obey this time.

Ichiou wondered if Kaname would fall for it if he arranged a false meeting, allowing the pureblood to escape. Or, so he would think. But that would be hard, Kaname was not a stupid child and it would take a lot of finesse to fool him. On the other side, Kaname was almost literally blind when it came to his "visits". Ichiou didn't know what Kaname needed to do so badly outside, but it must be very important as he was completely oblivious to any traps.

Yes, maybe Ichiou really should arrange something to find out where Kaname in fact was going every now and then.

_I know it isn't enough, but I'm going on a short holiday today so wanted to get it out. It's just a small introduction chapter, but I hope you enjoyed it. I promise the story will progress much more in the next chapter…_


	2. Never Wanted It To Be So Cold

**The Spider's Web by Rondomness**

_I usually make my beginning and ending chapters much shorter although I don't really know why, but I promise the chapters will get longer from now on…_

_Sorry for the immensely long talk in the beginning, but I thought it would be more understandable if I backed up and explained a bit about this…_

_Frozen inside without your touch, without your love, darling_

_Only you are the life among the death_

_Just a small part of the Evanescence song Bring Me To Life which seemed to fit well with this chapter… And the title is from Lithium, a song by the same band._

**Chapter 2: Never Wanted It To Be So Cold**

Ichijo Asato wasn't just anybody when it came to political matters in both the vampire and human world. He was a gifted businessman, who'd started as some sort of stooge for his grandfather just as his own grandson was now. That time was long gone, as he'd quickly got into the pleasant situation he was in now. The company already was quite big when he'd taken over control, but it had been expanded rapidly in the following years.

One of the Council's biggest problems, so big that it had existed long before Ichiou even had been born, was the Kuran family. Although they pretty much were the ones who'd started the company, or perhaps because of it, they too were the ones capable of destroying it. The children of the Council's founder had been the source of their deepest irritation, problems and anger ever since Kuran Haruka, with his wife and their combined pacifistic ideas, had taken over the role of family head. It had been much better, had that role belonged to the oldest brother, Kuran Rido, the Council's alley, but of course, Kuran Juri just _had_ to choose the weak, pacifistic brother, which meant that the family's head ended up being Haruka.

It could all have ended at the time of their death, if not for the fact that they'd left Kaname behind, who even at the age of eight was a formidable obstacle. His parents had of course told him about the Council and Ichiou was sure that he'd hated them even before he came to live with the noble. In the beginning, he'd been very difficult to say the least and it wasn't unusual that he'd ended up in bed for days on end when he did something stupid.

One time, when Ichiou had taken over control with Kaname's economy, of course without Kaname's accept or even presence at the meeting, the pureblood had stormed into his office and given him a slap across the face. Ichiou had beaten him to pieces and Kaname had never dared hit him again afterwards.

Ichiou clearly remembered the first week after Kaname's arrival. The other members had said things like _how hard can it be to manipulate him? God damn it, the boy is eight years old! _or _that stupid little pureblood probably don't even understand how valuable his blood is._ After the first tries of kind persuasions, they came to realize that the matter definitely wasn't an easy one. Kaname was far from being a "stupid little pureblood" and his garnet eyes always seemed to see right through the elder nobles.

After two months, he'd been locked away in the Council's headquarters for a week. The building had a lot of vampire cells underground to hold any possible "problems" in custody until the Council had decided wither or not the vampire should be executed. The public explanation was that he was mentally unstable because of the death of his parents, and that his violent nature could course him to hurt himself, so that it was better to lock him away somewhere where his mental powers weren't working. They'd thought Kaname would break, but when they finally locked him out, the pureblood was, if possible, even more closed and he backed off into a corner, hissing at them.

When Ichiou a few days later, together with a small group of colleges, had tried to initiate some sort of conversation with the pureblood about matters concerning his behavior, his position, his money and his blood, they were met with a massive wall of pouting silence and Kaname'd stared into the floor, the loft and the walls. To the nobles' huge frustration, he hadn't even commented anything and had consistently crossed his arms and refused to give away any of his blood. Kaname couldn't deny his guardian control with his money, but he could deny them his blood, it was his and his alone.

After a year in which Kaname had behaved flawlessly but refused to allow even the mere suggestions of giving blood, Ichiou one day pulled him into his office, locked the door and slapped him. Ichiou had given Kaname a longer speech about how much it would hurt if he continued to defy the Council like that, Kaname merely staring at the floor or at Ichiou with indifference during the whole conversation. When no response came, Ichiou had asked him if he wanted to get beaten and Kaname'd shrugged, explaining that if Ichiou really meant to beat him, he couldn't change it but that he never would allow the nobles to drink from him. That was the first time he'd got a true beating, but it wasn't the last.

Kaname wasn't behaving badly at all, he was a role model when it came to manners, which of course irritated the Council even more as it gave them no excuse at all to either punish him or declare him mentally unstable. They would have been more than happy to declare him mentally ill, as it would automatically remove their enemy from any sort of possibilities he had. If they could prove him insane, Kaname would without a doubt be placed under very hard restrictions and would probably be locked away by the hunters as a "dangerous vampire." That was unlikely to happen anytime soon.

To put it plainly, Kaname was not an easy child to deal with.

Ichiou locked his eyes on Kaname's emotionless face as he for the umpteenth time found that his ward still after six years had given the Council nothing but problems. The old noble studied his pale, perfect face, the garnet eyes, which always seemed to be made of stone, and the brown locks hanging randomly around his slender frame. His lips were rich, his skin flawless. For a boy, his hair was unnaturally long, but it somehow suited his face better and besides, it was intentional. All purebloods had extraordinary long hair, both males and females. That wasn't just because it would be a waste to have too short hair when it was so marvelous. It served a higher purpose. The longer the hair, the more of the creamy skin on Kaname's neck was covered. The smaller amounts of neck visible, the smaller amounts of uncontrollably, hungry gazes when Kaname was together with other vampires. It was the same for all purebloods. And when Ichiou looked behind his irritating, never-failing attitude and his age, the pureblood actually was… hmm… attracting.

One of Ichiou's biggest concerns when it came to Kaname was, that he couldn't find out whether or not he found the pureblood sexually interesting. But no, it probably only had something to do with the extraordinary scent of Kaname's blood, having that scent so close and yet being denied it could drive anyone insane. Never the less, he'd sometimes caught himself in the middle of inappropriate dreams about the pureblood and he wasn't completely unaffected by Kaname's presence, although it rather had something to do with the fact that Kaname was like a different being from another planet. He was special and exciting in all he did. Kaname represented a world closed for anyone else, a world Ichiou couldn't partake in. A world Kaname either way denied him access to.

"What?" Kaname asked when he saw the noble stare at him in fascination. Ichiou cursed himself for getting caught looking at the pureblood, the Council meant that Kaname shouldn't believe himself to be special as it would give him wrong ideas. "Nothing, I was just wondering if I should arrange a meeting for the Council tomorrow. There is a few… subjects that I want to discuss." When he said it that way, Kaname knew that they were going to talk about him. But it didn't matter, this could very well be the change of escape he'd been waiting for.

"So… do you plan on holding the meeting here?" Kaname asked conversationally, camouflaging his interest. Apparently, it didn't work as planned, which probably wasn't strange as Ichiou always looked for unnatural behavior in his ward. "Why is it any of yours concern?" Ichiou asked, learning forward and seeking eye contact. Kaname met his gaze without hesitation. "I just want to know wither or not we will have visitors."

Ichiou judged him for a second before pulling back. Hadn't he known what Kaname's real interest in this was from the beginning, he wouldn't have been able to find out. "No visitors. I'll arrange it out of town," Ichiou said, eyes locked on Kaname's face. He betrayed nothing, but if you knew what to look for, there nevertheless were small, insignificant signs of satisfaction. A small smile dying on his lips before it really had time to touch them, a faint movement when his fingers locked around the book in his hand.

Takuma opened the thick, oak door with difficulty as he at the same time balanced a tray with tea, milk and sugar. Of course, he could just have asked a servant to come with it, but he always looked for a chance to escape the dead silence and faint uneasiness in the air, even if it was just for a few minutes. Especially in the library, the tension and silence combined created a most unpleasant atmosphere.

Placing the tray on a small ending table, Takuma immediately picked up on Kaname's minimal change of mood. It wasn't an easy thing to see, but both Takuma and his grandfather knew Kaname well, and Takuma quickly guessed what this was all about. Kaname left the book on another small table and took a cup of tea. He took a sip before nodding silently to Takuma in confirmation. He could feel Ichiou's eyes start to burn when some hair revealed Kaname's pale neck. It was very uncomfortable to know that he was sleeping in the same part of the house as that vulture, but there really wasn't anything Kaname could do to change it.

Suddenly, the fierce desperation of being caged like this became too much and Kaname had to hurt himself not to cry. Such black outs came occasionally, such small eruptions of pain. Kaname hated and dreaded it, especially when they came in public. Public as in not when he was alone. He wanted, _needed_ to see Yuki. He needed to get out of here, to have a day off from those extremely hungry gazes he got everywhere he went.

Maybe, he could sneak out tomorrow during the meeting with the Council. If it was long enough away, he even held a chance of escaping without getting caught. "Excuse me," he whispered, before leaving the room in all hast. Takuma looked after him, he could sense that, but didn't care.

Kaname laid spread out on the bed, when Takuma slowly stepped into the room several hours later after five minutes of knocking on the door without response. "Kaname? Are you alright?" he asked in concern and sat down by the bedside, a hand lightly touching Kaname's shoulder.

A quick nod, Kaname's eyes still shut and his face drawn with worry. "Can I do anything for you?" Takuma asked next, slowly stroking the pureblood's shoulder and upper arm. Kaname mumbled something completely incomprehensive as a response. What if Ichiou found out? What if he already knew? Kaname had noticed the way his guardian'd expected him before. But still…

Even if he would get punished, Kaname wanted to see Yuki.

"Do you know anything about your grandfather's meeting tomorrow?" Kaname silently asked, his mind begging that Takuma held information that would make it easier for him. Takuma lightly shook his head, continuing to caress the pureblood for some sort of comfort. "He hasn't spoken of it at all before today. I guess he simply told me what he told you."

"He never tells me what he tells you," Kaname intervened. "What did he tell you?" Takuma sighed, it was difficult to be made to choose between his friend and his grandfather all the time. He did love his grandfather, of course he did, but Ichiou never listened to his advice when he asked him to maybe give Kaname some free time, or lower restrictions. Takuma had often gotten the "pureblood" speech about responsibility and how Takuma should stop clinging to Kaname. Takuma knew that the one and only subject his grandfather didn't wanted him to intervene in, was Kaname, yet it was the only thing which held his interest as it was the only subject in which he believed his grandfather to be wrong.

"He told me that he would be absent for a few hours in the middle of the day. That's all," Takuma said, suddenly irritated that it seemed like he was a spy who reported back. "I don't want to spy on my own grandfather," he said, Kaname merely shrugging and sitting up, pushing Takuma's hand away. The young noble regretted his words the second they left his mouth, especially when he saw the look in Kaname's eyes. "I'm sorry, I didn't think you would take it so personal as I'm merely relying on your information to visit Yuki, you know that," he said, resigned. Takuma reached out after him, touching Kaname shoulder again. Kaname let him do it, if nothing else to tell he was not mad. "Shall I take this as a promise of help? From a _spy_?"

Takuma shook his head and then learned it against Kaname. "No. I'm sorry, Kaname. I want to help as a friend," Takuma said, searching Kaname's eyes for any signs of irritation. There was just a faint hint of amusement. "Then, you better call for a car to come tomorrow, _little spy_," he said with dry amusement. Kaname didn't laugh or smile truly, he never did here. His kind of smile was a faint movement of his lips when he suppressed a true smile and then a small smile filled with sarcasm and irony.

"When?" Takuma asked, happy that he'd at least forced a little amusement on Kaname. He always loved those moments, even as they were very rare. "At 2 o'clock. In the day," he added to be sure Takuma got it right. The blond boy nodded slowly, wondering when his grandfather had planned to leave and then, he retreated back to his own room.

Kaname sled down the bed until he was seated on the floor, learning his head against the bedside. Any hint of amusement was gone now. Each and every time he planned to visit Yuki, he got filled with conflicting emotions. The happiness and anticipation of seeing Yuki and yet, the anxious feeling of having to escape first and risk punishment later.

Sometimes, he felt like Ichiou's abuse destroyed Yuki's love. As if his heart was darkening with each punishment and Yuki lighted his heart up, however, she didn't have the strength to keep up with the abuse any longer. It was horrible, empty feeling, slowly devouring his soul. It destroyed him on a daily basis.

Anyway, he fought back up and walked to the bathroom to make himself ready for bed. The eyes looking back at him in the mirror were shallow and emotionless, drained.

Kaname waited with barely concealed irritation for Ichiou to leave the following day. When he finally rushed out the door in a wool coat and entered the car, Kaname felt a stone leave his heart. It wasn't a lie then and he could visit Yuki as planned. Unable to wait any longer, Kaname threw a short glimpse at the clock. A quarter to two. It had been close that Ichiou had seen the car which had arrived to drive Kaname.

Five minutes later, he was at the entre, slipping into a black overcoat, while nervously going through the schedule. It wouldn't be a problem though, there were no cars on the road, no servants in the entre. Unnoticed, Kaname opened the door, Takuma wavering goodbye from a window with a reassuring smile. The noble had wished so hard to come along, but Kaname knew that this trip would be prolonged due to his starvation of love and he didn't want the pressure of having Takuma waiting in the car.

The only car he could see was the one he should drive in and he checked, before rechecking, if anyone saw him. It was a huge, black car and Kaname quickly slipped into the back seat. Ichiou had his own driver, but Kaname had to order a car to come and pick him up every time he wanted to visit Yuki.

Kaname gave the driver an address on a house about half a kilometer from Cross's. He couldn't afford to give anyone but Takuma the real address to where Yuki was. If Ichiou should find out and ask the driver where he was taking Kaname to, which he could very well do, Kaname had to make sure that Ichiou didn't know where she lived anyway. Therefore, it was of the upmost importance that he always was extra careful.

When the car started moving, Kaname's hand automatically locked around the seat under him, his nails extending a little from the emotional fear clutching his heart. They dug into the seat without Kaname knowing. He always was tense to the point of being unable to stop looking after the other cars on the road. Kaname had to find Yuki in his mind and hold her there to be able to relax.

Takuma remained in the window until the black car was out of sight before turning back to his manga. He'd barely gotten the book in hand before the sound of a familiar car alarmed him and he just had time to look out the window before another car came razing by, disappearing the same way as Kaname's had a few seconds before. His grandfather's.

A chill ran down Takuma's spine. Somehow, his grandfather had known. But worse, he wasn't waiting for Kaname's return, he was following the pureblood. Kaname had to be warned. Takuma grabbed his cellphone and called Kaname, but he didn't take the phone. At a loss of what to do, Takuma ran to Kaname's room. Of course, Kaname had left his phone on a small table next to his bed. Takuma had actually already known that Kaname had left his phone behind, he always did to not be interrupted in his time with Yuki. It had never been a problem before, because Ichiou had never tried to follow him before.

This meant that Kaname would get scolded, but the worst thing would be that Ichiou probably would find out where Kaname went. Of course, Kaname wasn't stupid enough to go to the exact location, but Ichiou would find out that he was visiting someone special and then, he would find Yuki-chan and Cross-san too. That would be really bad.

Takuma walked back and forth for a quarter without being able to find a way to warn Kaname and he ended up by the window, looking out for any news and begging that Kaname would find out that Ichiou was following him.

Kaname lightly tapped with a finger on the window. The darkly tinted glass reflected the world outside and Kaname could observe how they got closer and closer to town as more and more houses were seen. In a few minutes, they would actually pass Cross´s house as Kaname had asked the driver to take him to an estate longer away from Ichiou's house than his real destination.

The faint sound of his tabbing and the car engine was the only sounds except the sound of another car. Peculiar. That car had actually been behind them ever since… the tabbing stopped abruptly when Kaname turned to see who was in the other car. His heart sank when he recognized the other car and realized the trap. There had been no meeting.

But would he really…? Kaname had known that Ichiou would stop at nothing, but now, his guardian was thirty meters from Yuki. And it was Kaname's fault.

He'd let Ichiou follow him almost into the arms of little Yuki and he hated himself for it. The question now was what he was going to do to stop Ichiou from finding her and Cross. He couldn't just let the car leave him on the other address as it would tell Ichiou that Kaname was visiting _someone_. No, if Kaname should keep them secret and safe, he had to go somewhere public in the surroundings and pretend that it was his original location. A park or a shop or just somewhere where he could have went to relax.

"Can you drive me to the nearest park?" he suddenly asked the driver, who looked questioning at him. After a few seconds, he decided that Kaname after all was a pureblood and he didn't need a reason to obey him. It would be quite a bad lie as he couldn't possibly be outside on a sunny day like this, but it was better than nothing.

Kaname felt very guilty. How stupid he was, to be so blinded by Yuki that he didn't see how he betrayed her by leading Ichiou to her. It was despicable. _He_ was despicable. Now he just hoped that Ichiou hadn't guessed too much be the obvious sudden change of direction and wouldn't search the houses in this quarter.

There was no point in running. He could just as well give him up and allow Ichiou to punish him. It wouldn't be better by running away now and get punished later. He couldn't meet Yuki anyway, Ichiou would just follow him, and when he then returned to the Ichijo residence, the punishment would be worse for trying to run. He told himself he wasn't admitting defeat, just waiting for another chance to escape.

He almost jumped out of the car and then stopped under a small tree, back to the road. He could hear the car drive away and the other car come closer and lastly stop. He was alone. Kaname's eyes scanned his surroundings. It wasn't a big park and even though it was in the middle of the day, there weren't many visitors. Only a few couples sitting on small benches in the shadow and a boy on Kaname's age who was walking with his dog.

Kaname tried to imagine how he would feel right now if Ichiou hadn't followed. He tried to imagine Yuki's small arms around him and the sound of her cheerful voice. He faintly smiled for a second. Perhaps, she would have begged him to come more often and Kaname would have given an evasive answer. And then they would sit, talking and drinking tea. Yuki would tell about her school and about what she wished for her birthday or something like that. And Kaname would patiently listen to everything.

But when she asked him about how he felt or how it was "where he lived" as Yuki called it, probably because she wasn't quite sure where it was, Kaname would have to lie through his teeth. If she ever found out, she would probably freak out and cry and the last thing he wanted was to make her unhappy.

A smacking car door interrupted his small second of happiness. When he thought of what was going to happen once he got home, his muscles contracted slightly and made ready to run. His emotions told him to run away and escape but his rational side stopped such thoughts and he remained there, stiff as a pillar of salt. He steeled himself and locked all emotion in his eyes away.

A hard hand duck into his shoulder the second a gruff voice sounded in his ear. "Rebellious again, are we?" Kaname closed his eyes when Ichiou pulled him back towards the car. He'd been captured.


	3. Shattered Hope

**The Spider's Web by Rondomness**

_As said before, this story will be about 10 chapters, but, as I've also mentioned before, I'm horrible at seeing how much I get into a chapter, lol :D_

_Sorry for the slow update, it's because I'm currently enjoying the last bit of my summer break and because I'm writing on Tears of Blood – the continuation of Crimson Depts._

_Also, names from Kaname's past is a bit sparse in the manga to say the least, so I have taken the liberty of added names to characters I know have existed. Well okay, almost. In Crimson Depts chapter 18, Kaname mentions that he has a daughter named Yumi. That is a pure OC as the manga hasn't mentioned anything about Kaname being a father, but I guess he had to have children if he is the ancestor of the Kuran clan. And the __**her**__/Saika as I called her is of course the hooded woman from the flashback chapters of the manga._

_Saika means flower full of color, which I chose because it's somewhat romantic, and Yumi means bow and arrow. Yeah, I know it's totally unfitting, but I went after a name similar to Yuki, okay? lol_

_I'm going to London next week, so be prepared for a long wait if I can't get the next chapter out before next Sunday._

**Chapter 3: Shattered Hope**

Takuma watched out for the black car from the window in Ichiou's office. It was the room in the house that had the greatest view over the road. But after half an hour, it began to be boring and Takuma ended up borrowing a book from his grandfather's bookcase and he began reading it. It took it's time, but Yuki's house wasn't close in any way so Takuma understood. He managed to get into the history pretty good before the car arrived and Takuma ran down to see what had happened, unintentionally leaving the book on a small table in his grandfather's office.

Kaname didn't move a muscle under what seemed to be a much shorter trip than it had been before. His eyes were fixed on the floor of the huge car as he was afraid that Ichiou might guess anything if his eyes against his will should wander to Yuki's door.

Ichiou kept glaring at him the entire way home, his eyes betraying him and Kaname read him like an open door. First, satisfaction because he'd caught Kaname, next anger at the thought of how close he'd been to finding someone important to the pureblood. And finally, anticipation, perhaps at the thought of beating Kaname. A chill ran down the young pureblood's spine but his eyes betrayed nothing.

Of course, Takuma was waiting for him upon their arrival, nervously gazing out the window. When he saw the car, he rushed down the stairs and waited in the corridor. But Kaname was in no mood for talking and simply sent him a tired look before walking past him after Ichiou. Takuma could not understand. He was greatly confused and pained by the silent, but determined expression of accept on Kaname's face.

As soon as they got out of sight, Ichiou grabbed Kaname's arm harshly, dragging him down the hall and into his office. Kaname stayed silent, refusing to ask Ichiou to ease his grip even though it started an insistent throbbing in his entire arm. Soon, it wouldn't matter anyway. In a few minutes, he wouldn't be able to feel it anymore as there was too much other pain.

Ichiou didn't say a word when he shoved Kaname into his office and locked the door. Not that Kaname would try to run anyway, but it gave an added luxury to know that even when he wanted to, Kaname couldn't get away. He sat down behind his huge table and eyed Kaname who simply waited for further instructions. "Sit," Ichiou said, smirking inwardly when Kaname sat down in the chair in front of his guardian. Like a pet.

Kaname expected a reprimand or scolding of some kind. Perhaps an insult, that too was a possibility. Sometimes, Ichiou wanted to add insult to injury and took him aside before or after the beating to scold him. But Ichiou couldn't lose sight of the meaning with everything.

"Kaname. I just need to know where you spend all your precious time. As your guardian, it's my job to know." Kaname hadn't expected this, but he wasn't shocked. How typically of Ichiou to just keep rubbing in it and try to force a response from Kaname. Ichiou saw the defiant look in Kaname's eyes. Then, he had to threat the pureblood. "If you cooperate, you might escape more punishment. I told you right from the beginning how it would work, didn't I? When you disobey, you'll get punished, when you behave, we can be friends. Nothing's going to happen to those you visit, if you tell me who they are and where they live right now. Otherwise, I'll just find out by myself and then we'll see how they will be treated."

Kaname refused to answer. He knew he was playing with fire here, but it wouldn't make a difference either way. Maybe, Ichiou wouldn't hurt them now, but next time Kaname disobeyed, he would certainly. On his own, Ichiou might find out too. But Kaname could rely on the fact that Ichiou wouldn't even think of the possibility that Kaname was visiting a hunter. That was unthinkable for a noble even and with a pureblood, it was downright blasphemous to think of. Kaname knew Ichiou already thought him to be a bit funny in the head with his pacifistic ideas, but even Ichiou could never dream of accusing him of meeting a hunter and his adopted daughter, a normal human, in secret.

"Still silent?" Ichiou asked with deadly malice in his voice now. Even though Kaname's stubbornness was irritating as hell, he would find out one way or another. "Last chance, Kaname." The pureblood was ignoring him completely as he simply waited for Ichiou to hit him. He would rather have that bastard suck his blood than let Yuki, or even Cross, be in danger. "I'm waiting..."

Kaname watched his guardian with emotionless and guarded eyes. This was the only place where Kaname simply didn't obey to avoid the hurt. This was the only thing, perhaps except his blood, that he would never, ever allow Ichiou to take away from him.

Ichiou gave him a short, mocking smile. It seemed like the little pureblood didn't care what Ichiou would do to him as long as he didn't found out who he was visiting. That he was visiting _somebody_ was clear. That much he knew. Ichiou also knew that they lived in quite a big house in the rich part of the town. So, they had to have money. A noble maybe? No, Ichiou couldn't hurt a noble, Kaname knew that. It had to be an ordinary vampire. The thought of Kaname together with humans and hunters never even touched him.

He stood up and walked around the table to stand beside Kaname, who also stood up. The pureblood knew that the interrogation was over, now there was no more time. He steeled himself to not give anything away when Ichiou would hit him in a couple of seconds.

Takuma placed his finished manga on the small table by his side. He wondered what Kaname was doing right now. Was he being scolded? Perhaps, he'd been angry at Takuma for not calling him, but he'd left the mobile at home. Had Ichiou found out about Yuki-chan? Without meaning to, Takuma yawned. Maybe, it was better to wait until tonight to ask Kaname out.

Sneaking into bed, Takuma discovered that he had no book to read in bed. He didn't want to go to the library, which was in the opposite part of the house or call a maid for such a small task. The maids had enough to do. He had begun to read that book earlier and he actually wanted to read on as it seemed like a good story, but his grandfather and Kaname were in the office.

For half a minute, Takuma wondered how to get hold of the book when he heard faint movement in the corridor. Oh, so Kaname had returned to his room. Then, grandfather probably didn't mind him coming to get the book in his pajamas. He sled out of bed and made for his grandfather's office, the maid sent in to clean Kaname's room giving him a strange look when she saw his back in the pajamas head for the office.

Kaname lay on the floor, his face buried in the thick carpet. His body hurt. So much it hurt. But still, he did not make a sound. He refused to show that every time a fist hit him, his entire body burned with pain. He had to think of Yuki, when he thought of her, he received the strength he needed to hold out.

Ichiou lifted him off the ground and threw him into the chairs in which he'd been seated moments before. His shoulder connected with the hard wood, of course all of Ichiou's furniture in here just had to be of mahogany, and his face contracted in pain. He felt lucky that his head turned away from Ichiou so the noble wouldn't see the small crack in his façade.

Suddenly, something tucked at his senses. Something familiar. Kaname's head spun, not helped in the slightest way when another fist hit him. Ichiou apparently hadn't noticed anything. Or maybe he was just too distracted right now to pay attention to such a small detail.

"Who is it, Kaname, tell me," Ichiou's gruff voice asked, an arm lifting him up in the air. The grip was tightly around his throat and shirt, which made him almost unable to breathe. Kaname's legs fought in the air. He desperately needed something to stand on as to not suffocate himself. Even then, he didn't let a single sound escape his lips.

Kaname inhaled sharply when his back hit the wall. There were wooden panels and his ribs screamed in pain. "Who?" Kaname didn't say anything. It was very rarely that Ichiou was _that_ hard. Kaname really must have angered him. In a way, it pleased Kaname that he was able to hold back overflowing emotions, while the "much more experienced" Ichiou just let it show in such a childish way.

Ichiou always described himself as the adult of the two. As if Kaname was a small child they just had to deal with. Almost as if he needed proper education. That was far from the truth. In reality, Kaname had already outwitted Ichiou on all aspects but his body's age. Fourteen years old and he'd already lived for over ten thousand years.

And even though he'd lived for that long, he'd never experienced the perfect feeling of happiness, perhaps with the exception of his time living with his "parents" and the time he'd spent with _her._ She had been very beautiful and full of life. _Don't forget __**us**__, Kaname. _He could hear her say those words even now as clear as if she was before him. He would never forget. How could he? How could he ever forget Saika? She was his first love, quite literally. And she was also the first person to ever love him. Of course, he'd heard his much too fragile parents say they loved him but he also had known that they couldn't love him truly because he was so different from them.

They used to call him their "angel" and that wasn't just a sweet nickname to a child. To them, he was just as much another being than an angel from the Bible. His father had died when Kaname was four years old, by an accident, or at least, that was what his mother had told the village they lived in. In truth, Kaname hadn't been able to hold back when he started needing blood and he'd bitten his father and turned him. That was the only thing that was an accident. Kaname knew nobody like himself or the creature his father had become and at that point, he'd been too young to understand that it might be dangerous to do what was natural to him. He hadn't known what to do with an ex-human and he'd let his poor father starve to death. But Kaname had only realized that when he met Saika, when he understood that there were others like him and that ex-humans could be saved once turned.

That was why Kaname felt such deep sympathy for ex-humans and such dislike for the cruel purebloods who created them for "fun". Ichiou was included in that category, even though he couldn't create them. It was simply because he had such a horrible look at ex-humans. In his opinion, it was okay to create as many as you'd like and then just dispose of them when they no longer held any interest. It was despicable.

Kaname was jerked up from his dead slumber when a fist connected with his face and he heard the sound of his jaw breaking.

Takuma heard it too. He stood completely stiff outside the door, unable to move his hand from the position in the air, on it's way down to the handle. The door was still closed so he could see nothing and he was actually happy that it was only sounds, he was afraid that the sight of his grandfather and Kaname would haunt him forever.

What had his grandfather done? Was it even possible that the times when Kaname disappeared or locked himself in his room was because grandfather had hit him? It seemed unthinkable, yet here he stood, hearing blow after blow hit Kaname. He couldn't stand it, it was too horrible to hear. Takuma wanted to run away, but it felt as if he'd been frozen to the spot, unable to move just as little as he was able to move his hand.

His grandfather. What a monster.

_I've failed you Kaname. I didn't realize anything. I did not see it._

_Kaname…_ Takuma's heart seemed to skip a beat when the sound of a body being smashed into a wall reached his ears together with his grandfather's cruel voice. "When I ask you something, you answer me, brat." That tone. Grandfather'd never talked to Takuma in that voice before, not even when he gave his grandson the "Kaname" speech. Now, he understood. Understood that Ichiou didn't want him to interfere with his sadistic games.

After being placed with so strong an evidence right in front of him, Takuma wondered how he had been able to miss the, looking backwards, obvious signs. They really had been so clear, that right now, Takuma could kill just to guide his shame and guilt onto something else. If it wasn't because Takuma from nature's side wasn't a cruel person and because Kaname would strongly disapprove, he might even have done it. Have taken an innocent human, or rat as his grandfather sometimes called them, on the road, even though it was an entirely different _rat_ he wanted to kill right now.

"Do you understand?" his grandfather demanded to know, apparently slapping Kaname across the face from the sound it made. Kaname's jaw was broken and Takuma could only listen when a small whimper was wrung from the pureblood's lips. "I asked you something, Kaname. _Do you understand?"_ Ichiou asked, slapping Kaname again from what Takuma could hear.

"Yes."

The voice was so faint, almost nothing but a whisper. It pained Takuma's heart to hear it. Kaname's voice sounded so broken, so pained. Takuma barely kept himself from crying and one thing was for sure. He couldn't be here any longer, refused to hear any more. With an almost audible sigh of pain, Takuma ran away.

"What did you say?" Ichiou asked, forcing Kaname to confess once more. To the young pureblood, there was nothing as degrading as being forced to subjugate himself to Ichiou's torture. To admit that it hurt, to voice his defeat. He denied the tears that burned behind his eyes and refused to answer. Another hand hit him in the face and the pain seemed to radiate from the slap wound. Kaname suppressed a short cry of pain, but he couldn't suppress the dreaded words from spilling from his lips.

"Yes," he repeated with a very small voice. Kaname's head hung down as he stared on the floor, determined not to show Ichiou his face. If the noble saw his face now, Kaname was sure that he would be unable to stop the tears from rolling down his cheeks.

"Come here, Kaname," Ichiou's voice sounded, a hand grabbing the pureblood's arm painfully harsh and jerking him to his feet. Kaname was so weak from the beating that his legs swayed dizzily and he had to almost learn on Ichiou to support himself although he did it very discreet as to not let the noble know how weak he really was.

Kaname was lead down the stairs to the small room in which his powers didn't work. He didn't resist, there was no avoiding it anyway and he might just as well get it over with. He was almost carried as much as dragged along as Kaname's legs trembled uncontrollably. Luckily, it didn't seem as if Ichiou had noticed anything and Kaname was roughly shoved inside the small room, feeling as if deadweight landed on his shoulders. Being without his powers meant vulnerability, a feeling Kaname dreaded deeply.

Once "safely" behind locked doors, Kaname slid down the wall and ended up seated on the floor. Even though the beating was painful, it was the thought of Yuki waiting for him in excitement that hurt the most. Of course, Kaname's rational mind told him that Yuki hadn't been expecting him and therefore wasn't waiting for him in vain, but he nevertheless felt as if he had let her down.

Takuma couldn't stand the thought of knowing what happened and not being able to help and so he waited in the pureblood's rooms to at least try and comfort him upon his return. But Kaname didn't return, even as Takuma waited for an hour. And another. Where was he? Surely, his grandfather must be done by now, right?

Takuma suddenly felt bad for not staying. What if something else, something truly horrible was happening right now when he was just waiting for the pureblood to return? Takuma was so full of pain and misery, so consumed by dread that he couldn't even begin to construct a rational idea for Kaname's absence.

He'd thought that it was unfair that his grandfather only lectured and punished Kaname when they sneaked out together, but now he knew why it was so. His grandfather. Such a monster and a leech. What was he gaining by beating Kaname whenever he wanted? Was it simply because he enjoyed hitting him? No, Takuma couldn't believe his grandfather to do something so rash without a very good reason. After all, he still knew his grandfather better than he'd ever known his parents.

Could it be money? No, not that either as Ichiou already controlled Kaname's economy. Takuma knew because Kaname often had complained about that part of the guardianship. At that point, Takuma had said that he found it normal for a guardian to control his ward's economy, especially when said ward was underage. Of course, he'd not known that what Kaname complained about wasn't the money, but the guardianship in all. By the way, Takuma believed Kaname to be perfectly capable of controlling his economy himself as the pureblood never had been interested in money.

What else could it be? What was it that Kaname held which his grandfather could want to such an extent that he was willing to put himself in grave danger to achieve it? It was a great taboo to lay your hand on a pureblood, Ichiou knew that better than anyone else. Purebloods were protected by law, if someone should touch them, they were either killed or sent to the Hunter Head Quarters. It sounded a bit drastically, but purebloods' blood was far too valuable, if everyone could have access to that power, the vampire world would be impossible to control as the levels would collapse and with them, the democracy.

Through the pure blood, any vampire, all the way down to the ex-humans could have an immense power that should only belong to the purebloods. Takuma knew that he probably was one of the few vampires that thought it to be a good solution. Purebloods shouldn't give their power away to anyone. Of course, it was fine to do it with a beloved one, but it wasn't anything that should be wasted, not even a drop. It was theirs to do with as they saw fit.

However, his grandfather didn't think purebloods should be treated like gods. Apparently, he didn't think Kaname should be treated as any other child, obviously. Ichiou had at least twice tried to change the law protecting purebloods, Takuma knew he had. That weren't so long time ago, only about a couple years since he'd wanted that law changed. Takuma believed that to be stupid. It was completely unheard to allow anyone to drink that powerful blood, especially because it was so desirable, everyone would be after it. It would mean that Ichiou could walk straight into Kaname's bedroom and force him to give his blood away, simply because Ichiou was physically stronger. That would be completely…

Takuma stopped in the middle of a thought. Could it be blood that his grandfather desired? But if he couldn't change the law, he couldn't get it no matter how hard he hit Kaname. The only way was to make Kaname give it to him, allowing him to drink the blood and that would entirely be Kaname's decision. But what if his grandfather tried to force Kaname to "allow" him to drink his blood? _No._ That was cruel and heartless. It was like choosing between beating and rape. To have your blood drunk meant that you had to expose yourself, had to let the other person in. It was something intimate and private.

It was, no matter what, something his grandfather shouldn't try to press Kaname to do. He shouldn't force himself on the pureblood like that. It was so wrong. Takuma couldn't even imagine how it must feel like to give blood to anyone you didn't want to give blood. He couldn't even begin to comprehend how it was for purebloods to be so admired only because everyone wanted to bury their fangs in the purebloods' delicate necks.

Kaname was the only pureblood Takuma knew personally, although everyone knew of the purebloods. He had on multiple occasions got to see another pureblood, Shirabuki Sara, who always talked with Kaname the most when she for once actually appeared at a party. He'd also seen Kaname's parents once, the Kuran couple, but beside those, he had no one else but Kaname to talk with when it came to purebloods. And Kaname usually didn't like talking about such things, sometimes to the point of showing that he didn't want to talk about it instead of just avoiding the questions.

Takuma barely contained himself when it was time for dinner, especially when his grandfather gave him some lame excuse about Kaname's absence. The really irritating part was that Takuma was sure that he would have fallen for it, if he hadn't heard everything today. The young noble was seconds from throwing himself at his grandfather and demand to know what he'd done with Kaname since he weren't here, but he maintained control. It would be sincerely stupid to let his grandfather know that Takuma had found out about the beatings. He would probably think Kaname'd told him and then hit him again.

After dinner, Takuma continued waiting in the pureblood's room until he finally arrived there at nine o'clock in the morning. Kaname looked so tired and hurt, it pained Takuma to watch him and as soon as he'd let himself in, Takuma gave him a huge hug, which he responded to with a questioning look, locking all the hurt faces away. When he realized that Takuma was in his room, Kaname'd steeled himself and closed off to not give his emotional weakness away.

He didn't understand why Takuma was here or why he held him so tightly. The other boy seemed almost unwilling to let go of him. It actually hurt a little to be held so tightly. His back was still sore even though he'd had five hours to heal. "Why didn't you say anything?" Takuma asked, breaking off the hug but still holding Kaname close. A cloud of horror descended on Kaname's mind. Did he know? How did he know? How could he know?

"What?" he answered in a very hollow voice. Takuma stared at him, completely confused. Surely, Kaname knew what he was talking about. Did he trust Takuma so little that he didn't want to tell anything, to share anything or to get some comfort?

"What happened, Kaname?" Takuma asked, pulling him over to sit on the bedside with the noble. He noticed the faint flicker of shame in Kaname's face before the pureblood closed off. "Nothing. It was nothing," Kaname assured him with a voice that sounded so convincing that Takuma almost believed him.

"I heard him. I heard him… beating you," Takuma whispered. Kaname's face was very smooth, not a hint of panic although Takuma knew he felt it. For a few seconds, Kaname wondered what to say when he was faced with such a huge disadvantage. There was no denying that Ichiou hit him if Takuma had heard it himself. "As my guardian, he is permitted to discipline me when I do something stupid." It hurt to say it that way, to cover Ichiou up when all Kaname wanted was to show the world how Ichiou abused his authority. But there was no helping it, Takuma shouldn't get involved in this conflict between his grandfather and Kaname.

"Permitted? How can you say such a thing?" Takuma moved to sit on his knees in front of the pureblood and he looked Kaname straight into the eyes. Kaname didn't know what to say, the feelings overpowered him. "Please stay out of this," he just begged, hoping Takuma would. It wasn't any of his concern what happened to Kaname, the pureblood didn't want him to worry. The panic gnawed in his stomach. If Takuma should tell anyone about this and they would question Ichiou, the old noble would hurt someone precious to Kaname. Hurt Yuki, the Chairman, maybe even Takuma.

"But he hurts you, Kaname," Takuma said, saddened that Kaname believed in him so little that he refused to let the other boy into his confidence. "I know he does." The last words were almost a whisper as Kaname's miserable eyes looked at him. The pureblood was extremely exhausted and right now, he just needed to be alone.

"Takuma, I… could you please leave? And don't tell anyone about… that," Kaname asked of him as he stood up and headed for the bathroom. Before he fell asleep, he needed a bath. "Yes," Takuma merely whispered and left the room. How he would have loved to stay, to sit beside the pureblood while he slept, to hold him tightly against himself. But he knew he had to wait until Kaname was ready to talk about it.

A few minutes later, Takuma stormed into Kaname's bedroom. The pureblood was standing by the bed, a towel wrapped carelessly around his slim waist. He was shirtless, making Takuma able to see the red, blue and purple welts everywhere on his upper body. Takuma gasped, completely forgetting about the thing he went to tell Kaname. "D-does it always look… like this?" he asked, clear horror in his voice.

Kaname slowly nodded. "What was it?" he inquired, drying his hair with another towel. It took Takuma a few seconds to regain composure before answering. "Cross-san wishes to speak with you. He called," he said, watching while Kaname put on a nightshirt. Then, the pureblood let go of the towel, it slid slowly to the floor, while Kaname put on underwear and a pair of trousers. Purebloods really were perfect. Kaname's smooth, creamy skin was intoxicating in a very sensual way. He was so pale, looking as if made of porcelain, yet so filled with blood and warmth.

"Thank you," Kaname said as he rushed by the noble to take the telephone. Takuma looked after him, before returning to his rooms. Kaname didn't know what to make of the call. Cross knew full well that he shouldn't call like this. What if it had been Ichiou, not Takuma who'd answered the phone?

"Hello," he said with a faint hint of irritation in his voice. Cross went straight to the subject. "I know I shouldn't have called, I'm sorry, but Yuki have been begging me to call you the last two days. She wants to know when you'll come visit her again," Cross said, with fitting apology in his voice. Kaname immediately felt the guilt from before touching at his insides. He'd let her down and that was horrible. "I tried yesterday, but… he caught me before I reached your house," Kaname said, gazing nervously around to make sure Ichiou wasn't around. He hadn't needed to as his pureblooded senses could tell him perfectly well that Ichiou was in his room, in the other end of the house where the bedrooms were, completely out of ear reach even for a vampire. He just had to check anyway.

Cross was silent in the other end for a few seconds before continuing. "I'm sorry," he repeated. Kaname felt horrible for letting Yuki down, but he couldn't try to come again anytime soon. "I can't co…" Then, Kaname heard Yuki's faint voice. She was probably standing by Cross's side, just as keen to seeing Kaname as he was to see her. The voice was very shy and so faint, that Kaname barely heard it. "When will Kaname-sama be visiting again? It's been more than a month since last time and I miss him," she said, sounding almost like a whining puppy. She obviously didn't know Kaname could hear her and she continued.

"Couldn't you tell him to come visit more often?" Kaname's heart sank when he heard her begging voice. He couldn't possibly first be visiting her in a month, not when he'd heard the sadness in her voice. It warmed him to hear her say she missed him, just as he missed her. There was no decision, no choice.

"Tell Yuki I'll visit her tomorrow."


	4. Light Up My Dark Heart

**The Spider's Web by Rondomness**

_As mentioned before, I travel to London at Sunday and I'm away until Friday, so the next chapter will take longer than usual before it's publication._

**Chapter 4: Light Up My Dark Heart**

Kaname was waiting impatiently for the sun to rise. It seemed as if the big grandfather clock in his room had stopped. It showed ten o'clock, but Kaname wanted it to show fourteen o'clock instead. The time ticked by painfully slow.

He had been seated here since six o'clock, after dinner. Most of the household had already gone to bed. Kaname could have escaped now, but Yuki wouldn't come home from school before two today, so Kaname merely waited. Watching in silence, he saw the first rays of sunlight, before it was so bright that humans would have been able to see anything, followed by the first glimpses of the red sun, bathing the sky in orange, red and garnet colors.

If he got caught this time…

If Ichiou caught him this time, the despicable old noble's wrath would probably be twice as fierce as usual, and Kaname didn't even want to think about what he might do to the pureblood. It would be harder than just a beating, even though Kaname couldn't imagine what else Ichiou could do. It already seemed as if Ichiou had taken all but blood from him.

Sometimes, Kaname felt as if he was nothing but an empty shell. He thought himself to be hollow and that might be the truth. He denied and suppressed his real feelings to an extent were they almost ceased to exist. Almost. Sadly, it was only his happiness, his smile and his laughter that got destroyed. The pain of his wounds and the emotional pain whenever he by accident got to think of how caged he was remained completely intact. It was only Yuki that could lift him away from such a darkness, she was his light, his sun.

Takuma was going to help him get away again, although he'd resisted much more than usual. He'd protested wildly, and it took a long time to convince him to help. As recompense, Takuma had talked Kaname into carrying his phone with him although he didn't wish to be disturbed in his time with Yuki, and Kaname had to admit that it was a clever move.

Takuma had completely freaked out when Kaname told him that he'd asked Cross to say to Yuki that he would be visiting the following day. The noble had begged him not to go. He'd asked if Ichiou would beat Kaname again if he found out and it hadn't really helped to dull Takuma's panic when Kaname said that he would get beaten, if he were lucky.

But all that didn't matter to him. Kaname'd been beaten and tortured so much that seeing Yuki was worth risking a punishment. Kaname had never tried escaping so shortly after another breakout, which gave him the advantage of surprise. Ichiou wouldn't expect him to be stupid enough to try to escape again today.

Kaname barely kept himself from falling asleep, but finally, he could sneak out. Falling asleep would have meant that he would sleep until tonight, ripping him of any chance of escape. All breakout attempts had to be in daytime. First, Yuki would sleep during the night, thus making a visit a bad idea. Second, there was no way for Kaname to sneak out while the entire household was at their busiest.

Kaname made his way to the hall, meeting with Takuma, who, to put it plainly, looked very tired. For a vampire, two o'clock in the day was something similar to three o'clock in the night and for a teen, who hadn't even been sleeping well last day, it was no wonder that he was so tired. The groggy, green eyes nevertheless looked determined to make this a success.

"I have ordered a taxi for you. Do you have the phone?" Takuma asked, yawning even as he fought to keep the tiredness out of his voice. Kaname gave him a silent nod and gestured towards one of his pockets which bulged out. "Is my grandfather asleep?" Takuma asked next, his voice dropping to the lowest level possible when he spoke. Kaname nodded again. Not that he _knew_ but Ichiou had no need to be up at this hour.

"It's waiting for you outside. Be careful, okay?" Takuma begged, managing to sound like he wasn't on the verge of drifting off. Kaname gave him a small smile. "Yes. And get some sleep." Takuma nodded sleepily, yawning again. Kaname gave him another faint smile before hurrying out in the sunlight, down to the road where the car waited.

Shutting the door behind himself, Kaname gave the house a look, wondering if Ichiou would find out. No, he wouldn't, how could he? It had all been arranged quickly, silently and this time, there was no meeting or anything else Ichiou might have made up to lure Kaname into the trap. It was only days after his last attempt, Ichiou wouldn't expect that, so of course, he didn't know. And unless something extraordinary happened, he wouldn't find out.

Kaname shook his head mentally to get all those unhappy and anxious thoughts out of his mind and instead concentrate on the only thing that really mattered now. Yuki. To see her again would give him enough strength, enough light to hold out for a little more time. It had been _so_ long. Way too long time since he'd seen her last time and he barely knew what he was going to do once the meeting was over and he returned "home". Kaname didn't like to think that that horrible old man's house was his home, but it was nevertheless. Maybe, he should really accept Cross's offer and go live in the new dorm he was building in his school. They had actually talked about making it into a vampire school as well, to get some new blood into the coexistence movement.

No, it would be way too dangerous. Ichiou would find out whom he'd been visiting and if he found out… what would happen to Yuki? And Cross? Kaname couldn't move out of Ichiou's house, at least not now. Ichiou was going to beat him so hard if he found out about today… But what could he really do? Hadn't he already done everything possible except things that would make Kaname bleed?

Ichiou was always extra careful to not let Kaname bleed under the beatings as he wouldn't be able to stop himself from taking the blood if it was shed right in front of him. Kaname was too intoxicating. Even though he would never admit it, Kaname was scared that one day, Ichiou simply wouldn't have the strength to resist his blood any longer and then take it by force. Kaname couldn't imagine anything else than it would hurt immensely to give blood to someone without wanting to. He felt ill even thinking about Ichiou drinking his blood, perhaps even restraining Kaname as he drank.

Kaname learned against the frame of the car window, again studying the houses the car crossed. Cross lived in a rather large house in the rich part of the suburbs. He and Yuki lived alone, with the exception of an elderly woman named Momoyama, who looked after Yuki if Cross had any arrangements. She seemed like a kind person, from what Yuki had told him.

Kaname wished he could live there too. But even as a pureblood he had little, if any, influence on what happened to him. His guardian already controlled every aspect of his life. Ichiou decided all of his lessons during the night, the teachers in the different subjects, what he should eat and, except times when he escaped such as now, when and where he was allowed to go outside of the Ichijo Estate.

The house was close now and Kaname felt himself moving forward in anticipation. He was perfectly capable of closing off the feelings, except when he was with Yuki. She always seemed to see straight into his soul, discovering secrets he didn't want anyone to discover. Kaname suddenly got afraid that maybe, Ichiou had found out one way or another and he gazed nervously backwards to see what was behind the car. Nobody. There was nobody. Ichiou hadn't found out and he wouldn't.

Kaname calmed himself instantly. It was just because he was close to Yuki's house now that he reacted that way. He gave the driver a silent nod when he got out of the car a few streets away from Yuki's house. Even when he was quite sure that Ichiou weren't following, he wasn't stupid enough to go straight to her door. The sun was sharp and it pained him a little, but luckily, he'd wanted to be put off closer to Yuki's house than usual. He couldn't wait to see her again and when he walked as fast as now, it would only take a couple minutes before he would be there.

Kaname almost began running when he got close enough to see the house some twenty meters away. Closer, he saw Yuki gazing nervously out of the small window. She was wearing a small blouse of white wool, Kaname could see it clearly as she nearly sat in the window frame to be able to see him when he came.

When she saw him, Yuki's small face lighted up in a big smile and she ran out to get to the front door before Kaname. When he was halfway up the driveway, she opened the door and smiled widely. Beside the blouse, she was wearing a small, black skirt, white leggings and big, fluffy home slippers. The brown hair hung randomly around her small, but immensely beautiful face.

"Kaname-sama," she said, sounding just as happy about the reunion as Kaname was. Kaname took the two steps separating them in a matter of a few seconds and then he finally felt her small arms around him as she buried her face in his coat. "Yuki," he whispered, his arms sliding around her small frame and holding her very close.

For a few moments, both were unwilling to break off the embrace, then Kaname slid down to sit in front of her. Even though they were only separated with three years, he was a lot taller than her. "I've missed you," he said and lightly let a finger follow her nose so her face contracted in a funny grimace. Her big, red-brown eyes looked at him with fascination and blind adoration. "I've missed you too," she whispered, learning against his coat and hiding her face in the folds.

"Come inside, come inside," she begged, pulling him into the entrance and shutting the door behind him, as if scared that he should suddenly leave. Kaname let go of the black overcoat and let Yuki led him into the living room. There was a tray with teacups, milk, sugar and a teapot, together with a plate of cookies, standing on a small table. Cross apparently were in the kitchen, he shouted a short greeting. Kaname could smell he was cooking. Maybe, they wanted him to stay until tonight. As much as the offer appealed to Kaname, he couldn't stay so long. He had to be back before anyone woke up.

"I've waited with tasting the cookies until you came," Yuki announced with childish pride. She was already eleven years old, but at some points, she was still very childish, something Kaname found to be very sweet. "Oh, did you really? Why, thank you," Kaname said, patting her head softly as they sat down in the sofa together. Little Yuki poured him a cup of tea before taking one herself, then offering him milk and sugar. Cross came in from the kitchen to get a cup as well.

"So, Yuki. How was your day?" Kaname asked conversationally, smiling in a relaxed way he never did at home. It was wonderful to, for once, be able to let down all the facades, the walls he'd crafted around himself to avoid that Ichiou got inside. With Cross and Yuki, Kaname could be himself. He could smile and laugh, he didn't have to look completely emotionless and closed all the time.

Yuki waited a little before answering. It was clear that she didn't want to talk about school when Kaname was visiting. "Boring. It's difficult to sit still and wait when I know you would come," she smiled, watching Kaname closely when he took the tea cup to his lips. As a vampire, Kaname had no difficulties smelling all the different aromas in the tea. This, for instance, was definitely rose-tea. Kaname let his lips lightly touch the surface for a second, before taking a small sip. He gave Yuki a short smile and she smiled back.

Then, her small face turned serious and she placed the cup on the table, turning to look directly into the pureblood's face. "Uhh, Kaname-sama?" Yuki whispered, the insecurity clear in her tiny voice. Kaname smiled at her again, also sitting down his cup and turning to look at her, waiting for what she had to say. "Couldn't you come visit more often? I mean, I'm so happy for your visits but I would just… you know… love to see you more…" Yuki didn't know wither she had upset Kaname or not and it shined through in her worried expression. Kaname was split. On one side, he knew it would be almost impossible to come two times in a month, on the other, he couldn't stand to see Yuki's sad face. Pulling her into a warm embrace, Kaname nuzzled her brown hair. "We'll… We'll see about that…" he answered hesitantly. He already knew he was going to disappoint her.

"I have a school play in a couple of weeks, it's in the evening and everything. Would you come?" Yuki asked, her eyes big and begging. _A couple of weeks?_ No, he couldn't possibly come again in a couple of weeks, not already there. But…

"Okay. I promise," Kaname whispered, learning into her soft arms, seeking the warmth. To hell with everything else. Ichiou couldn't do anything worse to him than he already did and Yuki was anyway a million times more important on all aspects. No one in the world was as important to him as Yuki.

Kaname's eyes met with Cross's. He looked worried to say the least and it hurt Kaname that he had to make the elder man worried about him. He knew Cross thought himself to be responsible for Kaname's happiness as well as Yuki's, but as things were now, there weren't a damn thing he could do to change anything. And when this moment of peace and freedom ended, Kaname would have to return to be Ichiou's prisoner. But all this, he would endure, as long as Yuki was safe, out of danger. Kaname would have to ensure that Rido would never come after her, never ever. He shouldn't be allowed to live, especially not when he was the only one, except Cross and Kaname himself, who knew who and where Yuki was.

It hurt Kaname deep within when thinking about how Rido'd gotten his filthy hands into that information. To think that Kaname finally had given up, succumbed to the torture and given Rido the information he needed to destroy Yuki. At least, Kaname had ended up getting some sort of revenge although he knew Rido wasn't quite dead yet.

Kaname took another sip of his tea, while Yuki went on and on about how happy she was for Kaname's visits and how she was looking forward to show him the school play. Of course, she ended up telling him the entire plot down to the simplest lyrics, but Kaname was fine with that, he mostly concentrated on the cheerful sound of her tiny voice anyway.

Takuma glanced nervously at his watch and then down to the road for the umpteenth time. Kaname was nowhere to be seen. Normally, he wouldn't be away for this long, it was already almost four o'clock, and grandfather would be up soon, as were some of the servants. He should know better than to stay out for so long.

Probably, grandfather was up already, he just hadn't left his room. Takuma had fallen asleep instantly, so exhausted that he was almost unconscious. Maybe, he should go to grandfather and tell him that Kaname wouldn't be present at breakfast. But what excuse could he make? Surely, grandfather would get suspicious? Should he call Kaname? Yes, he had to know when the pureblood would be home. If it was very soon, no other harm had to happen.

Kaname sighed in annoyance when the phone in his pocket started vibrating, at the same time sending out a slow classical composition. _Takuma._ Did he _have_ to call right now? As Kaname took out the phone to ask Takuma to just leave him alone, he got shocked when the little display showed the clock. Had he been here for two hours already? No, he couldn't be, he shouldn't be.

It was the thing that sadly always happened. He enjoyed Yuki's company to an extent where he forgot the time and that was usually the reason for Ichiou discovering him. Answering the phone, Kaname gave an apologetic look to Yuki and Cross. "I'm sorry," he whispered to them, before repeating the apology into the phone. Gracefully, he rose from the sofa and made his way into the hall, not wanting Yuki to hear anything.

"I know I should have returned already, but I just kind of lost track of time," Kaname apologized again. Takuma said it didn't matter and then asked when Kaname would be able to leave as it would have to be soon before the entire household was wide awake. "I will leave as soon as possible," Kaname said, ending the phone call. Slowly, he called the taxi service.

This wouldn't be easy at all. Yuki would probably ask him why he had to leave so suddenly, why he couldn't stay for just half an hour more and receive dinner here as well. The truly hurtful part was that he wanted to stay so badly. That was the backside of these visits. When they then ended and he had to go back to the Ichijo Estate, it felt as if the darkness swallowed him again. Just like an eye that'd been blinded by light could see nothing. Whenever he was back in his room again after having spent a wonderful afternoon with Yuki, he always sunk into one of his black periods.

When Kaname stepped into the living room and saw Yuki and Cross with each of their teacups, Kaname felt hurtfully home. It was here he belonged, not together with Ichiou. He didn't want to leave. "I… I have to go now," he announced with an apologetic look. Little Yuki's eyes went sad all of a sudden, before she stormed into his arms again. "Do you have to leave right now? Couldn't you at least stay to dinner?" Kaname sat down in front of the little girl. He'd already promised too much today, and he couldn't possibly stay any longer.

"I'm sorry, Yuki," he said, desperation clawing at him when he saw her eyes. "But I… I promise I'll come visit you to your school play. Should I come here at seven o'clock the fifteenth?" Yuki's face lighted up a bit and she smiled at him again. Her big eyes expressed fierce adoration and complete trust. "Yes, please," she said and hugged him once more, before helping him out into the corridor of the house, handing him his jacket.

Cross too, came out to say goodbye. Kaname locked eyes with him again for a moment. He always had the feeling that Cross knew about everything, but probably he only knew that it was very hard for Kaname to sneak out and… maybe the entire thing was just a product of his imagination, living there because he needed somebody to understand and because Cross had known him since childhood, had known his parents so well.

Sliding into the jacket, Kaname gave both Cross and Yuki a quick goodbye, hugging Yuki closely to him once more, before walking out the house, through the small garden, which Cross had been nurturing the last two years without it turning into something worth showing, and onto the road. The taxi was waiting for him and he slowly stepped in, giving the driver Ichiou's address.

Kaname sat behind the darkly tinted glass, again watching the world roll by outside. At least, nothing pointed at Ichiou knowing anything about his short escape. Maybe, he wouldn't even find out and Kaname wouldn't be punished at all.

Cold dread washed over Kaname's senses when the Ichijo Estate got into view. It sat like a knot in his stomach, making him almost physically ill. When the taxi stopped, he murmured a quick "thank you" and then ran into the house as fast as possible. Ichiou wasn't stupid enough to not find the connection if he saw Kaname hurry into the house at this time of the day.

Takuma came running down the stairs the second Kaname opened the front door, asking what had taken him so long, why he was only coming home now. Kaname explained it to him quickly, but also asked him to be a little more discreet. Takuma nodded silently, but then followed Kaname back to his room.

"Ichiou. Is he up already?" Kaname asked on his way up the stairs, Takuma following him like a puppy. The blond noble shook his head quickly. "I think he's up, but he hasn't left his room yet." Kaname nodded in agreement, tossing his coat to a random maid in the hallway. Right now, Kaname just needed to be alone. To sit in a corner of his room and try to recall the sound of Yuki's voice and the warmth of her embraces.

"Kaname?" Takuma had no idea what to say. He wanted to express his concern for the pureblood, but it was hard. "I-I…" The pureblood was looking straight at him. Those cold, emotionless eyes seemed to pierce right through him. "I'm… worried about you," he finally whispered, watching something flicker through Kaname's façade for a second. Kaname was quite obviously thinking everything through. His mouth opened slightly as he made himself ready to talk, but then he swallowed his words and closed his mouth again.

Takuma didn't know what to think. Didn't know if Kaname had taken it as a personal insult, if he believed it to be a lie or if he believed Takuma when he spoke what was on his mind. Kaname was not a person whose personality invited to friendship, actually it was quite the opposite. But even then, over the years and especially with this recent, horrible discovery, Takuma wanted the pureblood to be able to trust him. Wanted to be Kaname's friend.

"Thank you," Kaname said, almost without sound in his voice. The words sounded a bit hollow, but it was clear that he meant what he was saying. "I think… after all, I'm happy with continuing visiting Yuki, even though I might end up hurt." Takuma was taken aback by the depth of Kaname's voice and eyes. They were filled with desperation, yet with joy.

"I beg you goodnight," Kaname said as he turned to leave, Takuma staring after him. _Kaname. I want to become… someone whom Kaname will be able to trust._

At breakfast, both Kaname and Takuma closely watched Ichiou for any signs that he might know about Kaname's little outbreak earlier, although Kaname did it a lot more discreet than Takuma. The pureblood was deadly exhausted, but apparently, Ichiou didn't know anything as he did not pull Kaname to the side, did not say a word about it or anything else. Actually, he barely talked during breakfast, or when they sat in the library afterwards. An eerie silence dominated the room, making even the air thick and cloying.

Kaname excused himself from dinner to go to sleep early, although that wasn't what he told Ichiou as the reason for his absence. He went to bed three hours before the normal time, but he didn't get to sleep that long anyway. At around six o'clock, Kaname was awoken by his senses, telling him that another vampire was near him and his eyes flew open.

"Ichiou. What is it that's so important that you have to wake me up?" Kaname asked with well-placed bite in his words. It was unusual enough for Ichiou to come into his room at all, to wake up Kaname in the beginning of the day was downright bizarre. "Kaname. Come here. There is something I want to talk with you about," Ichiou said with anticipation and exaggerated gentleness in his voice as he almost jerked Kaname out of bed.


	5. Burning In The Light

**The Spider's Web by Rondomness**

_Warnings on this chapter, although the non-con part hasn't arrived yet. Abuse, angst and whump in this chapter. I have kind of forgot to tell you in a long time, but reviews are much appreciated, I love to hear what you think…_

_Also, from now on the story is becoming somewhat depressing, so warnings on that too…_

**Chapter 5: Burning In The Light**

Kaname hesitantly got dressed, his face drawn with worry. He couldn't understand. If Ichiou had known about his visit at Yuki's house all along, why hadn't he got punished before? Surely, there had been occasions enough during the night to pull Kaname aside. Ichiou merely waited patiently in a corner of his room, watching unmoved as Kaname got into a white shirt and a pair of black trousers. The pureblood turned to give Ichiou a questioning look. "Follow," Ichiou instructed when it seemed like Kaname was done dressing.

"Where are we going?" Kaname asked when Ichiou didn't take him to his office. It was difficult to keep up the mask of perfect calm and collectedness when he had no idea what was going to happen to him. Ichiou didn't answer but simply let him through the entire house. "Outside?" Kaname asked in surprise when Ichiou let him to the front door. What were they going to talk about outside? Kaname reached out after his jacket, which had been placed by the entrance by the maid he'd handed it over to yesterday, but Ichiou stopped him by laying a hand on top of his arm.

"You won't need that, we're just taking a short walk in the garden," Ichiou said, pulling Kaname out of the door before he had time to complain. Kaname was highly suspicious. Why did they have to take a walk in the garden? And at this time of the day? On the other side, the time would explain why they didn't need jackets, they couldn't be outside for much longer before the sun would rise.

The air was cold this early in the morning, making Kaname freeze almost instantly as the two of them stepped outside. His breath fogged in the air and his bare feet were almost shaking. His hair still was a bit mussed from the pillow, the wind fingerling softly through the brown locks. The morning dew had not yet left the ground and the lowest part of Kaname's trousers got soaked through when he wandered through the grass, trying to keep up with Ichiou.

Finally, Ichiou stopped. "Are you cold, Kaname?" he asked, watching as the uncontrollable trembles ran through his ward's slender frame. Kaname nodded silently and tried to suppress the tremors. "You might excuse me for my ignorance, I'm a bit tired as I've been up for many hours already. If you're cold, come here. We will discuss things in the greenhouse then." Kaname was frightened by his guardian's concern. It was quite obviously a lie and Ichiou made no effort to conceal it. Hesitantly, Kaname followed Ichiou into the greenhouse.

When Kaname got into the greenhouse and realized the trap, it was already too late to change anything. His heart started beating erratically but it wasn't a thing he could do to stop this. There was something horribly, horribly wrong with the greenhouse. Hunter charms maybe? At least something that pulled his consciousness down on the lowest level possible without fainting.

"How stupid do you think I am?" Ichiou asked him as Kaname stumbled backwards towards the entrance. The noble took a fast hold of his arm, making escape impossible. "Did you think I wouldn't notice anything? That you could just sneak away to whoever you so desperately need to see and then come back and act as if nothing happened without getting punished? And twice in a week, that's something new isn't it? You've been very bad, Kaname. Did you think nothing would happen to you, even though you did something like that?"

Kaname didn't answer, merely staring into the ground. How had he known? Had he heard anything? Seen the looks he and Takuma shared? "My grandson is quite good at delivering me certain news," Ichiou continued, Kaname's head snapping up to stare at him in horror, even as the dizziness nearly sent him to the ground. Takuma? Takuma had told him? An icy wave of betrayal flushed Kaname completely. If he'd told Ichiou _that_, then maybe he'd told him about Yuki. About everything.

Kaname tried to yank his arm away, but Ichiou didn't let him and in the pureblood's weakened state, he couldn't force the noble to let go. Instead, his arm just twisted futilely in his guardian's strong hold. Realizing he couldn't pull away, Kaname stilled his movements and simply stared at Ichiou, a burning hatred in his eyes. _Against him and his entire family._

Kaname watched as Ichiou released him, went behind him and locked the door. "Why are we here?" Kaname asked, while Ichiou walked around him, studying him as if he was an object. Finding that it didn't seem like Ichiou wanted to give away any information, Kaname stopped asking and instead just waited for the elder noble to continue.

Ichiou raised his hand and Kaname automatically dug, the noble stopping the fist before the blow landed. Kaname was immediately blushing, shame coloring his cheeks as he'd been forced to show such a stupid little reaction, such a sign of fear. "You don't have to _be scared_, Kaname. I'm not going to hit you," Ichiou mocked, smiling when Kaname gritted his teeth in frustration.

"It would be rather unfortunate for you to get beaten up now as we're attending a soirée tomorrow night and I want you to look appropriate. However, you've been bad again, Kaname. And if I don't punish you now, I fear you will grow bold, my dear ward." A frown lightly formed on Kaname's brows. He didn't understand what he was being told. Ichiou apparently didn't intend to beat him, but fully intended to hurt him anyway. What could he do…?

"Stay," Ichiou instructed while turning around and walking towards the door in the other end of the greenhouse. Kaname's frown deepened as he watched Ichiou step outside. He was beginning to get warm again, wanting to get out, but he didn't dare defy Ichiou, although he would never admit it.

A clicking sound was heard, when Ichiou suddenly and without warning locked the door, Kaname's eyes widening in horror as realization hit him with the same power as a bus. _Was he going to…? He couldn't. He couldn't possibly lock a pureblood away in a greenhouse during the day._ Even though he was scared, Kaname refused to run to the door, to beg to be let out or even to ask what was going to be his punishment. Seriously, Ichiou couldn't expect that he would get away with locking a pureblood outside in the sun.

It was absurd to even get such an idea. Purebloods were without a doubt the type of vampire to be most "vampire alike" making them even more hypersensitive against sunlight. Because of vampires' very strong senses, sunlight could be very unpleasant although it wasn't of any great danger. However, vampires, and especially purebloods, got sunburns quite quickly, taking them longer to heal, thus coursing them a great deal of pain.

Ichiou smiled mockingly at Kaname as he fought to keep up his composure. He knew that if Ichiou truly intended to keep him locked up a couple of hours, then there wasn't much he could do about it, especially not when it seemed like Ichiou had put charms on the doors and windows. "I think I'll let you stay there for a couple of hours." Kaname didn't know what to say. He could already feel the sun rising in the horizon, casting painfully sharp sunrays at his hands and partly opened shirt.

"It is really a pity that I have to lock you out before the servants awake, but I promise I'll drag it to the last minute," Ichiou said as he turned around and hurried into the house before the sun was too high. Kaname glared defiantly at him until he was out of reach before collapsing silently on the floor.

_So long? Until the evening? _Kaname couldn't possibly stay out this long. His parents had always told him to sleep before the sun rose and to stay inside as long as it was up. He knew all too well what happened to those who did not follow this rule. Unlike what stupid, unknowing humans thought, vampires could not die of sunlight. But it could inhibit their powers, could hurt them a lot, it could even make them thirsty.

Vampires were not designed to be out in the light. Their bodies could not adapt to the sun. Only the moonlight was something they felt comfortable with being in. _Beasts in human form who drink the blood of other living beings. Blood. The life force of everyone. Beasts who only find comfort during the night. Who despise the light._

Kaname turned uncomfortably around on the floor, desperately fighting to cover up as much of his pale skin as possible. Already at this point, at least half an hour before the sun would be fully visible in the horizon, Kaname's skin burned painfully, even though he knew it was going to hurt much worse by the time Ichiou decided to lock him out again.

A soirée? Kaname hated soirées. Those bastard _dogs_ of the lower classes were always invited and they always brought up unpleasant subjects, such as his late parents. He'd only started attending them a few months ago, but as he was one of the only purebloods left, he'd already been invited to quite a few and Ichiou always brought him anywhere there was the slightest change of anything unpleasant happening. Kaname wasn't even sure wither Ichiou was the more interested in showing his "prize" off or just wanted to press Kaname further by having him hear all sorts of wicked gossiping.

Especially because he and Haruka looked so alike, people always used such a lame excuse as "come to think of it" or something like that. Kaname could only thank his extremely delicate control for not ripping those scumbags to pieces. Nobody, _nobody_ had the right to mention his parents in such a bad way. It didn't matter that those who spoke of them that way were not people who'd ever supported them while they lived.

Already before Kaname'd come to live here, he'd known about the two, different worlds of the vampires. The one of them was the carefully crafted, political side. Juri and Haruka's father had been the head of a monarchy, which had been ruled by the Kuran family for centuries. However, he'd given up his power and started the Council as some sort of tool to get democracy. In Kaname's eyes, that probably was the most foolish decision in the entire history of vampires, although he wouldn't have liked it much either if he had been the heir to such a power. Although Kaname certainly was a person with the intelligence and abilities to easily handle power, he wasn't interested in getting it. It was simply one of the many tasks that lay on his shoulders because of his blood. Power did not come without enemies.

Enemies such as the Council. Hadn't Kaname been a pureblood, the Council wouldn't have hated him, wouldn't have _feared_ him. They wouldn't have wanted to kill him simply to deal with the single greatest threat to their power.

The Council was originally created to deal with mad level E's, to ensure democracy in the vampire world and to basically keep everybody under control. However, it probably only had followed these rules as long as the creator of the Council had lived. Kaname knew that his parents had hated the Council almost as violently as he did and that had a reason. The Council had wanted to either destroy all purebloods as to not have such an elite group of vampires capable of controlling everyone else, or, use the purebloods' blood and powers to their own advantage. The first was almost impossible as purebloods were almost impossible to kill, but the latter was perfectly possible, albeit the purebloods chose to cooperate. Kaname was not going to, no matter what.

He almost wanted to turn around, throw himself at the glass and shout at Ichiou's windows. _Do you hear me, old man? I will __**never**__ cooperate, never allow you to have any more from me!_ Kaname sunk down against the wall, closing his shirt firmly although he knew it wasn't going to make a difference anyway.

From time to time during the day, Asato glanced out the window to see Kaname, each time finding that the pureblood looked redder than the last time. It was obvious that he was getting burned by the sun, but Ichiou didn't mind. In his eyes, Kaname was the one at fault. In his opinion, Kaname's own resistance and rebellion were the things always ending up getting him into trouble.

If Kaname had just done as the Council had wanted him to, he wouldn't have ended up getting hurt. Every time Asato looked at Kaname, it awoke a predatory lust in him, a lust he knew would only cease to exist when he was allowed full access over Kaname's blood. But there was only two ways to that. Either, Kaname would finally be pressed enough for him to give in and allow Ichiou to take his blood, meaning that he granted the other permission to take as much as he wanted, although it was understood that Ichiou couldn't drain him to a critical point.

Or, Kaname made a fatal mistake, so grave that the Council would be able to declare him mad. Then, Kaname would be incarcerated somewhere in either the Hunters' Head Quarters or the Senior Council's own cells. Down there, he would be an easy target.

But Kaname wasn't stupid, so the easiest way would without a doubt be to press him to give away his blood. And one of the means to do so was to destroy Kaname's spirit. To make him believe that nobody cared for him. That was why it was so important to punish him thoroughly each and every time he escaped, to make him forget why he so desperately wanted to escape. It would have been better if Ichiou could hinder Kaname in escaping at all, but for now, this had to do.

In truth, Takuma had told him nothing, although he hadn't really been lying to Kaname. He really got the information from Takuma although it was more due to his grandson's carelessness, not that he'd said anything. By pure coincidence, he'd overheard Takuma's little conversation with Kaname through the phone and he'd quickly guessed that Kaname had succeeded in escaping. He'd been at a loss on what to do as it apparently wasn't enough to beat him anymore. Then, he'd gotten the idea of burning him and had pretended to be in his rooms all night when he'd in fact prepared the trap for Kaname.

Maybe, that would teach him not to rebel against the Council so much as he currently was. Ichiou didn't even know what he would do to Kaname if he ever tried escaping again, but he promised himself it wouldn't be pretty. Pureblood or not, nobody could complain about a guardian who disciplined his ward because he tried to sneak away. If necessary, Ichiou could always use the _I have to hold him here so he don't get hurt_ ace, although it probably was here he was hurt the most.

Kaname's body ached horribly. It felt as if each ray of the sun was like another flame on his already all burned out skin. At this point, he could have been burned at the stake, the pain wouldn't have increased in any way. The veins were becoming visible under the now reddish skin as the sun slowly, but surely burned away the blood inside of him. Kaname had no idea for how long he'd been locked inside of here, it felt like centuries although it probably was in the middle of the day. From the greenhouse, no clocks were visible so he couldn't be sure, but it wasn't too late either as Ichiou continued looking out the window, which meant that he hadn't gone to sleep yet.

Kaname's feet, hands, face, chest and a bit of his arms had received enough sunlight to color very visibly, and his skin screamed every time he made a weak attempt at moving. By now, he'd stopped moving entirely, only casting glares full of hatred at Ichiou whenever he looked out the window.

Kaname wanted to stop thinking as well. He didn't want to feel so empty as he felt whenever he thought of Takuma. Or Yuki. How could he ever allow himself to visit her again? Not after this, if nothing else, this had proven to him that Ichiou would stop at nothing to suppress him. Meaning that Yuki would probably by his next target. No, he could never find her. Kaname could never _let_ him find her.

Kaname had no one, no one in the entire world he could trust by Yuki and the Chairman. And the only two persons he could trust, he could not be with as that would put them in grave danger. Because of him. Of course, there was Seiren too, but Ichiou had forbidden her access to his estate. Anyway, it was her duty, not her choice that made her stay by his side. So practically, he had no one he could get comfort from, whom he could trust no matter what.

Maybe it would be easier if he just… Just played along with everything to not receive any more punishment like this. It was only barely that he kept himself from screaming. It was his pride as well as his calm and sense that told him to not give way for the pain. It wouldn't help anyway, the only person that perhaps was able to hear him was Ichiou and he certainly wouldn't give that old creep that satisfaction.

The only one who cared about him was Yuki and he couldn't even protect her.

Kaname was absolutely lost in the burning sensation of being utterly unable to make her happy, or make himself happy through her. He would have given everything in the world to please her, everything in the world he once thought was so established but know seemed to be sand under his feet, changing every time somebody did anything. The world of the purebloods was empty and eternal.

Kaname was hurt through her innocent smile and her warm embraces. Those things, which at one point seemed to grant him comfort and love now seemed to be poison to his heart. The words she'd spoken to him at their last meeting echoed through Kaname's mind and he even began whispering to himself that he could have done so much different to protect her better. It didn't seem that whatever he did, it would soothe the hurtful feeling inside.

At last, he stopped formulating any intelligible words and fell down to murmur to himself in an incomprehensive line of words. _I can't make her happy, I don't make her happy, I don't deserve her. _Those condemning words played across his thoughts again and again. Yuki was so helpless, yet Kaname was helpless too, making it impossible for him to protect her.

Dizzy, tired and not thoroughly burned, it took Kaname a couple of seconds to understand that Ichiou was approaching. He'd been so deepened in thought that he hadn't realized that twilight was breaking out, his skin hurting so much that he had difficulties finding out that the sun was setting.

Kaname heard the key move in the door, irritatingly aware of his weakened state right now. He was not even sure whether or not he would be able to walk back inside. Ichiou eyed him with a mocking grin, while Kaname remained at the floor, not moving a muscle. He knew that the smallest movement would be pure, unbridled pain right now and he knew it would be hard enough to make it impossible for him to hide it.

"Are you able to stand, Kaname?" Ichiou asked in fake concern, Kaname merely glaring at him but still refusing to move. "Shall I help you?" Ichiou offered, taking a few, deliberate steps in Kaname's direction and bowing down, to have a closer look at his face. Kaname's eyes blazed defiantly, but Ichiou merely took a hold of his arm, jerking him to his feet and coursing the pureblood to gasp loudly as his destroyed skin was forced to move so horribly fast.

Kaname fell against Ichiou's coat when his legs started trembling roughly and his hand took a desperately strong hold of the shirt under, although there was no one Kaname would like to cling to lesser. Ichiou slid a little down and pushed Kaname a couple of centimeters away to be able to look at his face. "Does it hurt, Kaname? This doesn't need to happen again, ever," he said. "You already know what you can do to avoid it."

Yes, Kaname knew. He'd thought about giving up just a few moments before, but…

It hurt. Kaname couldn't think straight and in a horrible, weak moment, he could think of nothing else than a way to make the hurt stop. He was about to voice his defeat, to let Ichiou take what he so wanted, if that was enough to make him stop doing such things…

An image of his parents flashed through his mind. No, he couldn't possibly let Ichiou, _Ichiou_ of all people partake in his blood. And what about Yuki? If he gave Ichiou his blood, that vulture would get far too much power and Kaname wouldn't allow that to happen. Holding his parents and Yuki in his mind gave him the needed energy to glare at Ichiou before pushing completely away from him.

Kaname continued out the door and back over the lawn towards the house, even as he swayed dangerously. _Never, never, never. _Never, ever, would he allow Ichiou to take his blood. The only thing that could make him do that would without a doubt be Yuki and he wouldn't allow Ichiou to get his claws into her either. It didn't matter that he was helpless, defenseless and powerless, Kaname would protect Yuki with everything he had. Even if Takuma betrayed him like this, even if Ichiou burned him, Kaname would keep on visiting Yuki. Because she was his one and only light in this world and he would never let her go out.

Kaname's legs were trembling uncontrollably when he got inside, making him incapable of going up the stairs. Ichiou appeared behind him, comforting him in fake gentleness and leading him into the living room at his right. He placed the nearly unconscious pureblood in a sofa and sat across from him on the other sofa.

"Will you do something like that again?" Ichiou asked, Kaname's eyes falling shut all the time only to be forced open again. He was so far gone that he didn't understand the question. The run to get inside, his emotional state and the sun had drained him of all his power and the sleep was pulling at him, begging him to give the body some time to restore itself. "What?" he asked in what sounded more like a murmur than an actual voice.

Ichiou apparently didn't want to play any games with Kaname today. He went around the small sofa table and gave the pureblood a slap across his already hurting face. "The servants will be up soon, so I will recommend for you to go to bed to at least get some sort of rest today," Ichiou hissed into his ear as he once again jerked the already half sleeping pureblood up from the sofa again and shoved him towards the stairs. "And don't get foolish ideas about telling anyone what I did today. If they find out, it is you who will be thought of strangely as I'm merely disciplining my ward because he tried to run away from home."

Kaname knew he was right. Knew he was right with his entire body and soul as the pureblood stumbled towards the stairs, fighting his way up. Finally, he was allowed to get the rest he so desperately needed. Too bad there wasn't much time till the estate would wake up.

_Sorry for the long wait, I've been in London all last week so…_

_And for anyone who noticed, yes, this is the story behind the incident Takuma thinks off in chapter 18 of Crimson Depts._


	6. A Dark Abyss

**The Spider's Web by Rondomness**

_**A note on names:**__ I go after the Japanese pronunciation of the names, which is why I've added a _**u**_ in some cases as _**Aidou**_. It's because I'm not such a great fan of the English or German dubs. Actually, I don't like dubs at all in no animes, series or anything else. As come for the _**Chairman**_, some wants to call him _**Headmaster**_, but as it is kind of the same, it doesn't really matter. The important thing is that everybody understands who I'm talking about. The same for the _**Council**_ and the _**Senate**_._

_Some have also said that _**Yuki**_ is written _**Yuuki**_, to be more accurate, but actually if you want to directly translate, it's _**Yūki**_, the ū making it a long or stretched vocal. But as it's a difficult letter to write, I simply took the line away, her name is meant to be pronounced as it does in the Japanese version. So, simply pronoun her name in any way you like._

_Also, I know that the soirée in chapter 28 and 48 is meant to be just after he came to live with Ichiou, but… In chapter 48 for example there is a short scene with them as children, in which I believe them to be, perhaps around five years old. Come on, at that soirée, they don't look like nine year olds. More like young teens, so I changed a couple of facts. Also, Kaname's parents' death must have been a popular subject even years afterwards. They even mention it at Yuki's first ball. We also know that Kaname is slightly older than the others so…_

_This fan fiction is part of my VK series, so if you haven't read Crimson Depts, the short flashback might not be understandable. And to those who has and have been begging for finding out about what truly happened at that point, here's another piece of small information. I think it's the first time I've mentioned the relation between Rido, the Council and the Association in political matters, but don't worry. At one point or another, everything will be cleared up. Until then, have fun with guessing. Would be lovely if you told me what you think of it, or what you think of the universe, the fanfiction and so on. I'm open for reviews and positive critics._

_I'm sorry for terribly slow update and terribly long ramblings about names and so on, and, even worse, next chapter will take a long time too, as I'm travelling to Paris tomorrow and will be away for a week…_

_Warnings: Angst, yaoi non-con, pedophilia. The non-con part is not big, it's just… very wrong mind images and some small actual non-con._

**Chapter 6: A Dark Abyss**

"Kaname? Kaname? Can I come in?" Takuma asked for the umpteenth time, the maid looking slightly worried as she stood by his side. She'd been summoned to bring Kaname to breakfast, but he hadn't answered her knocking or her questions and she hadn't dared enter without his permission.

Takuma lightly took a hold of the door handle and opened the door without coursing too much noise. Kaname was lying in the bed, covered by the sheet. One of the windows was open, coursing the room to be quite cold, so Takuma wondered why he wasn't lying with a duvet instead of a sheet. The young noble closed the door to hold the too curious maids away. "Kaname? Are you up?" he asked and sat down by the bedside.

Kaname's eyes automatically opened when he felt another presence nearby, but his gaze was unfocused and glazed. "Yeah," he whispered and sat upright in the bed, coursing the soft sheet to fall off his upper body at the same time as Takuma saw his face. Takuma didn't think anything would be able to take him aback after he'd discovered the truth about his grandfather and Kaname, but now he couldn't help but get terrified all over again.

Kaname was completely red all over the body, the sunburns being a little milder the places where his shirt had hidden him from the sun. "Kaname, what happened?" Takuma asked, not even sure if he dared touch him, afraid that it should course him pain. Kaname himself looked down over his chest, arms and hands.

"It doesn't matter, it's already less bad," he explained quickly, stepping out of bed with an enormous force of will. At least, his legs weren't shaking anymore. That was good. "Less bad? Kaname, has it been worse than this?" Takuma asked in a terrified tone. Kaname nodded silently, disappearing into the bathroom. "What was it?" he asked in a high voice while expecting his own mirror reflection.

"Uhh. It's time for breakfast," Takuma said, still slightly off guard by the sight of the pureblood. Kaname splashed some cold water in the face to cool himself down a little, checking the clock as he came out again and began to dress. 18:49. He'd only been asleep for around one and a half hour.

"I can't come," Kaname explained quickly as he slid into a pair of trousers. Takuma looked unknowingly at him. "Can't come? Why not?" Takuma asked, looking absentmindedly while Kaname got fully dressed. Kaname gave him a small smile which was difficult to perform as the pureblood weren't even sure that it wasn't Takuma who'd told Ichiou about everything. Takuma really was some sort of stupid now. "Why do you think I can't come?" Kaname asked rhetorically and turned around in front of Takuma.

"Because I'm sunburned all over the body." Takuma could see that well enough, but…

"If you don't get any blood, it'll take much longer to heal," he said, gesturing for the door. Kaname nodded, but didn't go for the door. Any changes in behavior could maybe trigger Ichiou's wrath once again and Kaname didn't dare do that. He knew what he was expected to do and if he didn't, Ichiou might be mad at him again.

"Go to breakfast, I'll stay here," Kaname said, ending the conversation. Takuma, having nothing else to say against Kaname's ultimatum, left with a resigned sigh. Kaname heard the door behind him shut tightly, waiting in silence until he could no longer hear Takuma's footsteps outside the door, before collapsing on his bed again.

Even if Takuma knew everything, he could not understand. And Kaname was pretty sure that he neither knew everything nor wanted to understand. Kaname'd been so close to shouting at him in there, he'd barely contained himself, although the doubt was gnawing at his insides. It didn't seem like Takuma had anything to hide and that puzzled him. Was he really so uncaring and cruel that he wouldn't even be affected by lying to Kaname, by betraying him? Kaname couldn't think that was true. Takuma seemed like a person who could be trusted, but if he could, then how had Ichiou known about his escape?

Kaname's eyes fell on a small bent of roses on his shelve. Roses were beautiful. They reminded him of blood and love. Of romance. Of vampires. Like vampires, they were beautiful, majestic and sharp-pointed. Cruel and dangerous. The flower of the beautiful rose tricked people into thinking that it was innocent and soft. Yet, it was dangerous.

Yuki believed him to be her beautiful rose. His skin and face was deceiving her. Kaname turned restlessly on the bed, even as his back hurt from the movement. It was so unfair to make him first skip breakfast, then pull him along to a soirée.

Kaname tried to think of anything positive to clear his thoughts but it was difficult. It seemed as if he was falling into the black darkness of nothingness.

Ichiou was such a schemer. Trying to control this vampire world by controlling Kaname. Up until now, it seemed as if that plan worked perfectly well. The young pureblood felt ashamed that he did what a simple noble told him to do just because he was afraid of getting beaten. He was a pureblood and a Kuran, he couldn't allow himself to be so damn weak.

And Takuma. Why did it seem like he knew nothing when Ichiou had mentioned that Takuma had told his grandfather about Kaname's departure? Maybe, Ichiou lied. Kaname suddenly got filled with a small bright spot in the dark room. What if Takuma hadn't said anything at all? What if he could still rely on him, have him as his only ally here?

But then again, how could Ichiou have known if Takuma hadn't told him? No, Kaname couldn't rely on Takuma, that little stooge who delivered all kinds of taboo secrets to his grandfather. The pureblood's pale hands curled into fists.

Ironically, he felt more comfortable together with a hunter and a human than he would ever be able to feel together with any of the vampires in Ichiou's house or at soirées. Kaname carefully slipped out of bed and went to his large cabinet containing his clothes. There were at least two drawers with unused space as there was room for clothes to two grown-ups or more. It was filled with trousers and shirts of black and white colors, sometimes brown although Ichiou had insisted for him to keep at least a few suits for soirées or other such things.

Kaname hated attending any kind of vampire gathering, especially when there was a chance that any other pureblood would be attending too. Generally, his parents had brought him along to some parties and gatherings, but the amount he'd been attending the last couple of months was truly enormous. Ichiou had pretty much dragged him along to any possible parties being held ever since he found out about Kaname disliking such events, combined with his age. Nobles were expected to have reached a certain age before attending any gatherings of the vampire society and even though purebloods weren't really a part of that unwritten rule, as many couldn't wait to see the young purebloods before they reached puberty, it was still understood that they should not attend that many. But Kaname couldn't hide behind that rule any longer, he was fourteen years old and that meant that society expected him to be able to attend gatherings and other stuff. Of course, he shouldn't deal with that much political things until he reached sixteen or so, especially not when the Council effectively had cut off all of Kaname's political duties.

Those old vultures kept saying that it was only because they didn't want the "precious pureblood" from getting overwhelmed by his responsibilities, of course everything was done out of "kindness". _If anybody should see these marks on my body, the Council would probably say that even this was "done out of kindness"._

From time to time, Kaname wished that he'd been born a noble nowadays, or even an ordinary vampire. Yes, perhaps even a human if that would have made sure that the Council never reached him. Even without having clear evidence, Kaname was sure that the Council had some kind of role to play in the tragedy at the Kuran mansion.

After all, it was them who'd wanted to use the purebloods' powers in the first place. And Rido should most certainly never have dragged Yuki into that unholy mess. Kaname'd gotten her out before it had cost her a too large amount of blood, but perhaps, his father had not been so lucky. If Shizuka'd managed to escape, he didn't know although she certainly wasn't killed as he'd heard that she had been declared mad shortly after the incident. Perhaps it was the loss of the one whom she loved. Whatever the reason, Kaname did sympathize with her.

Takuma knocked on the door, interrupting Kaname's line of thoughts. "Come in," he yelled, with a bit of resignation that Takuma immediately noticed. He didn't understand what it was, but Kaname seemed so _off_ today and that wasn't just from the sunburns. The pureblood looked horribly this evening, his face tired and resigned, his eyes closed of emotion. Takuma was worried and didn't quite understand what was happening.

"Is something the matter, Kaname?" Takuma asked, discreetly coming closer, watching Kaname's face each time he took another step, afraid that the pureblood would think Takuma came too close. Kaname gritted his teeth, his face still turned a bit away from the intruder. _God, if he would just stop wearing such a sad, caring expression. It was incredibly difficult to believe him to be a traitor when he looked so worried._

"Nothing," Kaname hissed out through his teeth, sounding much harsher than he'd wanted to. He was overtired and very confused too. That was a lethal combination. Kaname hated the feeling of not knowing who to trust and that was what made him so dangerous. He couldn't figure out how to handle things and it showed in his anger.

Takuma took a few steps back when Kaname's dark aura for a second filled the room, before his anger sunk back to a reasonable level. Takuma was just as confused and hurt as Kaname. He didn't know what to make of this sudden explosion, but he understood that Kaname for some reason was mad at him. "Are you… are you angry? Are you hurt?" Takuma asked, barely daring to ask any questions.

"What do you think?" was Kaname's counter question. He was tired, irritated, hurt. He couldn't understand anything and it made him lash out the only way he could. "Why do you think I'm angry? Why do you think I'm hurt?" he asked, turning around to look Takuma directly in the face.

The young noble wasn't sure what he should answer or if he was expected to answer at all. "I-I suppose my grandfather found out," he whispered in a very tiny voice, sounding almost afraid of Kaname hearing him. The pureblood once again turned around, this time in a rush. His eyes were wild and stormy with anger. "You suppose? Don't you mean you _know_? Because he wouldn't have found out about it if you hadn't been in such a rush to show him how good you are as a _spy_ of his. He must be proud of his heir to this circus. I don't know why I was so foolish to trust you in the first way, but I certainly won't make that mistake ever again. _Get out_," Kaname shout, his anger running freely.

Takuma stepped back in shocked silence. He didn't understand this sudden accusation and that made him hesitate, Kaname taking his silence for a confirmation. "_Get out_," Kaname repeated, before turning around to hurry into the bathroom to not show how bad he felt.

Takuma hesitated for another second before storming out of Kaname's bedroom, tears running freely down his cheeks. Why was Kaname saying such a thing? What did Kaname expect? That Takuma would ever tell his grandfather anything? The noble would never, ever do that, especially not after he found out how Ichiou treated his ward.

Takuma laid, face down on the huge bed, while he cried miserably. How could Kaname even think that Takuma would tell something like that to Ichiou? The pureblood had apparently been discovered and punished, but why did he blame Takuma? All the noble'd ever done was to support and protect him, at least, he'd tried to. Perhaps it was because it seemed impossible for Ichiou to have found out by himself?

Kaname sat, face against the cold tile wall of the bathroom, while he cried miserably. How could Takuma betray him like this? Kaname already knew everything about how Ichiou had found out, then why did it seem like Takuma didn't understand? Kaname tried to calm himself. He couldn't possibly be found in this state by anyone. It was just… too much that Takuma betrayed him, he couldn't take it.

The salty tears made his already hurting skin burn horribly and Kaname tried to force them away, without success. The pureblood was far too lost in grief, sorrow and anger to be able to stop the tears from spilling. As long as he could remember, Takuma had been a friend and since he'd come to live here, an ally also. But what if he was just like his grandfather? How would life here be if Kaname didn't have Takuma to rely on anymore?

_This place will feel even more empty and dark without your smile to brighten it up._

With a sigh, Kaname brushed the tears away and let go of his clothes to take a bath in the calming, warm water. After all, he was attending a party tonight, so he better look presentable.

Ichiou was slowly looking through uninteresting reports of pureblood activities lately, not bordering to really take notice of the text, absentmindedly letting the words through his thoughts. _Shouto Isaya still asleep. _He'd been asleep for 45 years, another month couldn't come as a surprise. _Touma family on vacation. _Why not? _Ouri and Shirabuki attending a party. _ Of course, Ouri was a common guest at all kinds of arrangements and Shirabuki tagged along because they were engaged. _Kuran attending a party. _Certainly, Ichiou had brought Kaname along himself. _Hanadagi family still asleep._ That family, too, had been asleep for a long time.

Up until now, the papers had held no surprises for him, but as the noble looked at the next page he couldn't help but gasp lightly. Unfortunately, it appeared that the thing that _shouldn't_ happen, had happened. Hiou Shizuka had gone on a rampage. Not good. Not good at all…

Once again, Ichiou found himself wondering if Kuran Rido's plans really were quite clever. It was dangerous to play with fire. But until now, the fire could be tamed. Checking the rest of the report, Ichiou saw that the only thing that had happened yet was exactly what the Council, Rido and the Hunter Association President had wanted. The Kiryuu family had been disposed of. Although only the two hunters' bodies had been discovered, it was unlikely that Hiou would have let the two boys live. A pity, really, for the hunters, although Ichiou wasn't exactly sad at the thought of having two hunters less in the world. After what he'd heard the one of them was even weak, due to the Hunter's Curse.

But as long as the situation was under control, life could go on. Ichiou had been invited to a soirée which started in a couple of hours and of course, Kaname had been requested. He always was, it was a huge privilege to have a pureblood attending anything held at your house. Ichiou knew Kaname hated to attend parties, especially because nobles always brought up the subject of Kaname's parents.

Ichiou made his way to Kaname's rooms to make sure the pureblood was ready to leave in a few hours.

The room was completely empty. Oh, the fresh scent of water hung in the air, Kaname was just taking a bath. Ichiou opened the door without hesitating, thinking that Kaname was inside the bath, so the noble could just deliver the message and leave again. But when he entered, Kaname was standing in front of the huge mirror, the towel wrapped carelessly around his frame, hanging around his chest.

Kaname hadn't been paying attention to his instincts, so he hadn't sensed Ichiou and when the noble smacked open the door, he jolted backwards, partly from shock, partly because of the icy air in his bedroom. It chilled him instantly and the pureblood shuddered lightly in the towel. His arms were covered in gooseflesh.

Ichiou was about to turn around, just as embarrassed over this situation as Kaname was, when he changed his mind. He saw the small tint of red in his ward's eyes, indicating that he'd been crying and that made him look at Kaname with barely concealed malice. Why had Kaname been crying? He never cried, not even under some of the rougher beatings.

"What have made you cry, Kaname?" Ichiou asked, the change in his voice obvious to Kaname's pureblood senses. Kaname hadn't believed his tears to be so obvious and he gave himself a short glimpse in the mirror. His eyes were rather red in the corners, but why did Ichiou just _have_ to notice? The pureblood refused to answer his guardian, as to not give Ichiou even more weapons to use against him.

"Come on, just tell me," Ichiou murmured as he cornered Kaname. The pureblood could see how his guardian's eyes slowly got more and more color. He was losing his sanity to bloodlust and it frightened Kaname more than he would like to admit.

His ward's bare skin and red eyes made a quite enticing picture and Ichiou's instincts were hard to control. Vampires' lusts, such as blood or romantic lust but especially when it came to purebloods, were controlled in quite the same way as any predator. Vampires went after the weak or the vulnerable. Kaname's tears were an open invitation, an invitation that was hard to resist.

Kaname backed into a corner when Ichiou stepped closer. Kaname took another step back. And another. And then there weren't room for any more steps, his back hitting the cold stonewall. The icy wall made Kaname gasp quietly, but he could see how that turned the noble even more on.

Ichiou bowed down and lightly took a hold on the towel covering Kaname's body. It was obvious that Kaname was very frightened and when Ichiou pulled the cloth open and it slowly slid down his body, exposing more and more of that pale, alluring skin, the boy was justly terrified. His breath was hitching as the towel fully exposed his chest, before sliding lower, revealing his stomach too.

Kaname's arms were pressed so tightly against his sides that it held the towel up and Ichiou took a strong hold on his arms to make him lift them. The boy seemed to be frozen to the spot, his eyes staring in blind terror at the man in front of him. _This can't be happening._ Kaname could only watch as the towel slid all the way down to the floor, leaving him naked and partly pressed against the cold tile wall. _What is he going to do?_

Using the grip he had on his ward's wrists, Ichiou pushed him against the wall, slamming his wrists into it on both sides of the boy's head to make escape impossible. Fear was clear in those normally closed, garnet eyes. Ichiou's eyes were bloodred now, all humanity lost to the sight of Kaname's perfect body trapped. The noble's head dipped hungrily to the side of Kaname's neck, licking the skin in an obvious manner.

Kaname's head flew backwards as he gasped in blind pain, pleasure and terror. He felt the pleasure cause through his system like a wildfire, but the pain and humiliation of feeling this way was boiling his brain. _This shouldn't feel so good. Not at all._

The pureblood could feel Ichiou's fully aroused fangs touch his neck, searching for the right spot to bite. _Oh God, he's going to bite me. My blood._

"N-no!" Kaname screamed as he shoved the elder vampire away. His blood belonged to him and to no other and even as the fear was evident in his face, Kaname was determined to not give up. It seemed like the push sent Ichiou partly back to consciousness and he looked at Kaname's frightened eyes with only small hints of the wild arousal that had pumped through him just a few moments ago. Oh God, what if he by accident had bitten the pureblood? That could very well have happened and that would have been a disaster.

Ichiou had been so close to sign his own death warrant and in a way, he was grateful to the pureblood for having stopped this when he could not. But in another way, he was just even more irritated and frustrated at Kaname. To have showed such a lack of control was humiliating enough, and Ichiou was infuriated that it was Kaname who had watched it. Why did it, of all people in the world, have to be that brat who wrung such a response from him?

Ichiou lifted his hand, completely overcome with a lust to hit the pureblood, but Kaname avoided the blow and flew out the door, grabbing the towel on his way out. Tears was already beginning to burn behind his eyes and Kaname wrapped the towel mindlessly around himself as he continued out of the bathroom, through the bedroom and continued out in the hall.

He just had to get as long away from Ichiou as possible. The pureblood barely knew where he was going, simply running through the hallways towards a special room, the room his feet was unconsciously leading him. Takuma's.

Kaname smacked the door open and Takuma's head snapped up. "Kaname?" the noble whispered, sounding just as broken as the pureblood felt right now. "Honestly, I don't know what you mean, I have _never_ told my grandfather anything. Please don't think that I…" Takuma's voice faded out as he got a better look of Kaname's face. The pureblood looked completely horrified and absolutely shaken.

"Kaname?" Takuma whispered again, tilting his head backwards, rubbing his tears away to make Kaname stand clearer. The pureblood took a few steps forward before he fell down on his knees in front of the noble and buried his face in the other's shirt. Kaname felt Takuma's hesitating hands fall around his waist as the pureblood's own hands fell around Takuma's.


	7. Adoration

**The Spider's Web by Rondomness**

_Chapter title chosen not because of Yuki, although that would have fitted well too, but because of Sara. I wanted to call it "Fascination" but uhh, Sara is also a pureblood so… what's to be fascinated off?_

_Tears of Blood (sequel to Crimson Depts) is being written at the same time as The Spider's Web, that's why it takes a hell of a time to get a chapter out lately. However, I still need to put all my notes together and create chapters out of them, so Tears of Blood's release date will probably be put out to the beginning of October, perhaps longer. But I promise, it will eventually come and the story seems to get longer than Crimson Depts._

_Warnings: Angst_

**Chapter 7: Adoration**

Kaname inhaled Takuma's calming scent in long, deep drafts as he clung to the blond noble. The pureblood completely ignored the burning pain from his sunburns, simply seeking the warmth and gentleness of the other's embrace, and Takuma held him tightly, wishing only to remove whatever was coursing his friend this pain.

"Kaname? What happened?" Takuma whispered, slowly stroking the other boy's hair with his free hand. The other hand was holding Kaname as close as possible. It took the pureblood a few moments to gather himself enough to say anything. "Takuma. I'm sorry," he whispered in a very tiny voice.

The half dried towel and the pureblood's wet hair soaked the front of Takuma's shirt, but he didn't care. "You don't have to apologize. I don't know how he found out about your visit at Yuki-chan's house, but I promise that I didn't tell him."

Kaname pulled a little away and looked absentmindedly around the room, gasping for breath. "Takuma, why don't you hate me? Why don't you abandon me? I should be abandoned," the pureblood said, looking at the noble with such horribly sad eyes that the other vampire couldn't stand to see.

"I don't hate you or abandon you because I'm your friend," Takuma answered without hesitation, a comforting arm sliding around the pureblood's shoulders. The noble wasn't sure what had happened but he understood that now was not the moment to ask anything of Kaname, not even an explanation. Instead, he simply held on to the pureblood and supported him.

"Takuma, I'm a fool, you should despise me," Kaname whispered, shame and guilt completely overpowering him. He was such a horrible creature, doubting his only friend's trustworthiness even though he should never have, and letting himself get used that way by an old noble. He could never, ever be worthy of Takuma's friendship.

"I won't do that, no matter how much of a fool you are," Takuma whispered reassuringly in the pureblood's ear, rocking slowly back and forth with Kaname in his arms. "What happened? You know you can tell me, I promise I won't say anything about this to anyone." Kaname's eyes were big and hurtful when he pulled a little away.

An involuntary sob escaped the pureblood and he hit his own face in Takuma's shirt. Guilt and shame were gnawing at his insides. He'd allowed himself to be dominated that way, to be controlled almost to the point of Ichiou biting him without resistance. A light tremor ran through Kaname's slender frame when he thought about it.

He could still feel Ichiou's mouth at his neck, his lips and tongue, even his moustache sending waves of absolute bliss through his entire body and mind and it disgusted him. It gave Kaname the lust to pour a bucket of acid over himself to etch away the feeling of horrible, sinful pleasure. He would go through the burning pain and the brain damage with joy if it could remove his memories and feelings of what had just happened. Already, the pureblood was experiencing so much pain, a little more couldn't be so hard to tolerate.

Kaname still wasn't sure whether or not he in fact _could_ trust Takuma, but he didn't care anymore. Not right now at least, and he learned his head against the other's warm, comforting chest, listening to his steady heartbeat and confessing to his deepest feelings. "Takuma, I'm scared," he whispered so faintly that the noble barely understood him.

"Why?" Takuma asked lowly, a hand nuzzling the brown haired head. He understood that something horrible had happened, but what it was he wasn't sure of yet. All he knew was that he wanted to be there for the pureblood no matter what happened in the entire world. No matter if Kaname thought Takuma'd betrayed him, no matter if he hated the noble, no matter if his grandfather hated him. None of these things would ever change his feelings for Kaname.

"I'm weak," was the slow response from the pureblood. "I'm scared because I'm weak." Takuma looked down at Kaname's head buried in his shirt in disbelief. Continuing to nuzzle the brunette, Takuma's thoughts were in wild uproar. He didn't understand. What could his grandfather have done that would make Kaname feel this way? "You are not weak. You're the most amazing and special person I have ever met, you're strong and clever, yet you're so kind and I like you very much," Takuma said in a reassuring tone, feeling as Kaname slowly stopped trembling even as short tremors gripped him once in a while.

"And I swear I would never ever tell my grandfather anything about this. About your visits, about Yuki, about anything. I promise I've told him nothing." Kaname let out a small, faint whimper, feeling something wet on his eyelashes. Tears. He shut his eyes tightly and refused to let them escape down his cheeks.

"Takuma," he whispered in a very tiny voice, shaking because of the sobs that he fought to control. "I am… not like you. You can't understand. I am… not human."

The shock was visible on Takuma's pale face when Kaname's eyes sought his. "Does it surprise you?" Kaname whispered as Takuma simply stared at the pureblood. The noble looked at him for a few moments before pulling him close once again, holding the pureblood against himself tightly. "It doesn't matter to me. I'm not human either. It doesn't matter to me. But, please, I beg you. Tell me what happened. Tell me why you're suddenly so shaken, why you're almost crying and why… you're… half naked." The last part wasn't something he would have liked to mention, but he couldn't help wonder why Kaname would run to his room, utterly frightened and still wet from what Takuma could guess was a recent shower.

Kaname was too ashamed to say anything. He didn't have to anyway, it was his right as a pureblood to only tell others what he was comfortable with letting them know. He felt completely tainted from the insides out and it hurt. With an immense force of will, Kaname removed the tears from his eyes where they had been on their way to spill over and paint crystal lines on his pale chin.

"Don't you want to tell me? That's okay too, Kaname. Shall I help you?" Takuma offered, controlling his curiosity and instead helping Kaname to stand up, even as the pureblood said nothing or made any gesture as a response to his questions. The noble helped him to sit on Takuma's bed and then went to his own bathroom to get another towel.

When he returned with a white towel, which smelled of lavender, Kaname was sitting in exactly the same position, Takuma wondering if he'd even touched a single muscle in the noble's absence. Stepping in front of the still figure on the bed, Takuma observed how absolutely lost the look in Kaname's eyes felt. It was as if he could see kilometer after kilometer in those garnet eyes without finding anything but sorrow.

Takuma slowly began drying the pureblood's wet hair with the towel, while pulling the other towel a little longer up around Kaname's waist. It slid back again immediately and the pureblood made no effort to pull it up again. "You're going to catch a cold like this, you know?" Takuma asked conversationally, not expected a response and therefore not disappointed when Kaname remained silent.

Giving up on Kaname's hair, Takuma instead focused on drying off the pureblood's body, his pale chest already icy from the cold air. "Is it… okay if I dry your body off?" Takuma asked, afraid of triggering Kaname's wrath from before. Even as he watched Kaname's sad form on his bed now and remembered his apologies, Takuma also freshly remembered how angry the pureblood'd sounded when he'd ordered Takuma to leave. _Get out._

Takuma's eyes flickered to Kaname's face as he began drying his arms, stretching them on turn while the pureblood stayed limp like a marionette. Too many thoughts were racing through his head at a time. He tried to calm himself on all aspects, but the most urgent question, _is it going to happen again_, Kaname could find no answer to. He calmed himself by thinking that Ichiou, too, had lost control and that he wouldn't allow his own execution to happen, thereby staying away from Kaname. After all, it had been a coincidence.

However, Kaname couldn't get the image of Ichiou's crimson eyes or the feeling of strong hands pinning him to the wall out of his mind. The pureblood was almost shaking when he thought of how close he'd been to feeling Ichiou's fangs in his throat.

"You're dry now, Kaname. Shall I help you dress? Remember, we're going to a soirée in around an hour." Takuma glanced at the watch. They actually had less than an hour before driving if they wanted to reach the place of the soirée before it started.

Kaname's eyes shot open. He'd completely forgotten everything about the soirée and now, that information filled him with grief as well. Not only because he detested huge vampire gatherings but also because that meant that there was less than an hour before he had to face Ichiou and look the elder vampire in the eyes.

Kaname stood up from the bed and swayed dizzily for a second before regaining control and picking up the towel from where it had fallen on the floor. He felt like sitting on the floor of Takuma's room and cry, but he couldn't allow himself to be so weak. Kaname wrapped the towel around his upper body to be sure to free Ichiou of any temptations if the pureblood would ran into him on his way back to his own room.

Takuma watched him in concern when he walked out in the hall and disappeared from the noble's sight. _Kaname. What happened? What did my grandfather do to you?_

Finding no other option than to ask Kaname directly at the soirée and demand to know it, Takuma began dressing up himself. He had already made up his mind when he'd heard Ichiou hit Kaname from the other side of the door. No matter what, he would stay by Kaname's side forever. No matter what.

Kaname's eyes were automatically darting around the hall, his instincts going into overdrive when he passed by Ichiou's office door. But the noble weren't even there, Kaname couldn't sense his presence behind the door. The pureblood looked around before sliding quietly inside his bedroom as if he was some kind of criminal on the crime scene.

Kaname got dressed fairly quickly as he refused to stop for just a second, refused to keep his mind unattended, refused to let his eyes dart towards his bathroom door. When he was done getting ready, he looked into the mirror for a moment although he was quite uncaring when concerning his appearance. He was studying his face and expression more than the rest of his body or his suit. Kaname was deadly pale and his eyes were big and worried. His hand automatically slid up and took a firm grasp on his neck on the place where Ichiou's mouth had touched him.

Once again, a shiver went through him at the thought of Ichiou's fangs buried in the pureblood's neck. Holding his hands in front of him, Kaname studied his wrists carefully. If he really straitened himself, there was a faint redness to be spotted and when he held around them, he felt how sore they still were. Ichiou had held him pinned with excruciating force, being close to snap Kaname's wrists, completely uncaring or perhaps even unaware of the pain he coursed his ward.

"Still sore I see," Ichiou's voice sounded from behind, jerking Kaname back to reality. He'd been completely lost in thought and hadn't realized that it wasn't Takuma but Ichiou who'd stepped into his room. For a second, ward and guardian merely stared at each other in silence, both remembering their previous encounter with individual feelings. Then, Ichiou approached Kaname.

"You never did answer my question. But I guess I was just as responsible for that as you were, as I must admit that I was very… distracted." Kaname turned his attention back towards his own mirror reflection, trying to look like he ignored the noble even as he was painfully aware of every single step Ichiou took in his direction.

Suddenly, arms enveloped Kaname's body in warmth as Ichiou hugged him from behind. However, the hug was not meant to be comforting, it was meant to restrain him so he could not walk away, could not block out Ichiou's words. "It is never going to stop, you know that, don't you, Kaname? This… bloodlust… it's never going to leave those in your presence."

Kaname twisted uncomfortably in his guardian's strong hold, fighting to break away from this unwanted intimacy. "You must have seen that everybody wants only your blood, right? Even Takuma wants it." The young pureblood choked back a cry, the tears burning behind his eyes. He wouldn't let them fall though. Never, ever.

Takuma did _not_ desire his blood, he did not. The only ones who wanted something like that was vultures at the Council, at the soirée and… mostly everywhere. No, Ichiou was just playing with his mind, Kaname wouldn't let him do that. The noble was merely enjoying himself by watching Kaname getting hurt.

Takuma wasn't interested in Kaname's blood, he knew that. Or at least, the blond noble didn't _show_ any interest in it in any way. That was rare enough for it to be precious to Kaname. The pureblood squirmed again, trying to push the other's arms away from his body, at least holding them on a small distance.

Ichiou released him and turned the boy around before he had time to fully pull away. Using a strong hold around the pureblood's slender shoulders, Ichiou gave him a soft smile when Kaname glared defiantly at him. The boy was extremely prideful and like all purebloods, he'd learned from a young age that it was highly unwise to show his true emotions or intentions to anyone. Already before he'd come to live at the noble's house, and even more so in the first time, a shield had involved around his soul, holding everyone on a couple of centimeters distance from his most private, intimate parts.

"Kaname, you're fourteen years old and I think it's time for you to begin to think about whether or not this behavior is clever. You're not a child anymore. I can understand and forgive you for acting childishly and stupidly because you were only eight years old at the last time we asked you directly, but I think that soon, the Council will decide that harder measures must be used to make you behave yourself. And I think you know what I mean," Ichiou threatened in a low, soft, yet lethal whisper.

Kaname looked blankly at him, closing off his responses, but his mind was reeling badly by the sheer memory. Yes, yes, he knew all too well what Ichiou meant but he wished he didn't. "You are not going to lock me inside that dungeon ever again, Ichiou. I refuse," he stated in a calm, hollow voice which matched his face expression.

Ichiou gave a short, amused sigh. "Unfortunately, Kaname, I don't think it is something you are able to determine in the slightest way. Unless, of course, that you give in to our requests. I promise, nothing will happen to you, then." Kaname snorted in irritation and misbelief.

As if having his precious blood sucked away by those bastards of the Council wasn't anything. Kaname couldn't imagine that it wouldn't hurt excruciatingly. Sure, blood drinking was a pleasurable act between two vampires, but the intimacy also made that it could be hurtful if it was forced.

"You already know the answer to that request, Ichiou. Don't make me repeat myself," Kaname whispered slightly, backing away while trying to pry the other's arms away from himself without actually pushing him. The pureblood finally broke free of the elder vampire's arms, but he wasn't quite sure whether or not it would be wise to tell Ichiou to leave him. He desperately wanted the noble to leave him alone, but perhaps he would get angry and that wouldn't be good. If he didn't hit Kaname before the soirée, he would after.

Kaname was sure that even his latest words had been enough to make Ichiou irritated and he didn't want to push the limits any further. "Kaname, I'm going to a meeting this evening after the soirée and then I might have to tell them that you have refused once again. You know what I'll have to do afterwards."

Suddenly, Kaname lost control over his emotions. They were being too denied and suppressed and the pureblood couldn't contain himself. Kaname glared daggers at the elder noble, before ducking to avoid a swift blow to the head. The pureblood stared at his guardian in silent horror, terrified over his own behavior. Glaring like that was a luxury he only allowed himself to get when he was on the brink of exploding something and usually when Ichiou wasn't looking. Then avoiding a blow. If he hadn't done that, Ichiou might have been satisfied with just slapping him across the face, but now, it wouldn't be enough. Kaname knew all too well about how Ichiou judged such a situation and he could watch the noble's feelings flash through his steely, grey eyes.

"If it wasn't because we're attending a soirée in an hour and I came in here to tell you that we're driving now, I would hit you now. How dare you glare at me like that? I thought we'd beaten such insolence out of you," Ichiou stated in a calm voice, looking neutrally at Kaname as if he hadn't just said something so disturbing. The noble gestured towards the door, indicating that Kaname had to be ready to leave. A slow nod, before the pureblood followed him out the door, wondering if he would have liked to stay at home and get a beating, or, go to the soirée the least.

Takuma didn't dare ask Kaname about anything as long as Ichiou was there and Kaname was too horrified to say anything so the drive in the car was nothing but dead silence. From time to time, Takuma casted nervous glances towards Kaname's unmoving silhouette, looking almost like a statue.

Kaname wasn't even sure who was hosting this evening's soirée, but he didn't really care. It didn't matter who hosted the party as long as it _wasn't _the Ichijo's, the Shiki's or the other families from the Council. It was a lot easier to be at a soirée hosted by the pro-monarchy noble families like the Aidou clan.

Of course, as usual, everybody reacted on Kaname's presence the moment he stepped inside. He hadn't been quite lucky enough to avoid too much monitoring, both a lot of Council members, and, because of the size of the soirée, a few hunters. The hunters, too, reacted to him, casting disdainful glances in his direction.

After a few moments, the nobles began continuing what they had been doing prior to Kaname's arrival. The sounds in the room increased when they started talking and walking again and a man from the Council, from the Shiki family if Kaname remembered correctly and he was probably the person hosting this event. Not lesser than Kaname had imagined.

"Good night, Kaname-sama. Ichiou-san, Takuma-kun," he gestured to the newest arrived guests. "An honor to have two purebloods gathered here. Ichiou, may I speak to you in private?" he asked, the two nobles disappearing into a corner of the hall. Kaname's eyes looked across the room, trying to locate where the other pureblood was located and who it was. Takuma was standing behind him, nervously glancing towards his friend, not knowing if he should press Kaname further.

Kaname, however, didn't have to look for the other pureblood as she headed straight for him and he took her delicate hand hidden in a precious, white glove. The girl smiled at him and her face lighted up. She had an extraordinary beauty, her skin was porcelain white, her body in many ways resembling a perfectly shaped doll. She was about 16 now, maybe a little older, the blond hair cascading down her slender shoulders like a waterfall. "Kaname-san, Ichijo-kun," she said, keeping her interested, sapphire blue eyes on Kaname. "It's lovely to be able to be with you two alone. It's so rarely and it's been way too long. My deepest condolences again."

"Thank you, Sara," Kaname whispered in a very hollow voice. How he despised people like her who behaved as if she was sorry when they had just been waiting for the Kuran family to perish. Kaname knew full well that the Council had thought that they could make him into nothing but a political tool. However, Kaname wouldn't let them. He would fight until his last breath and he was determined that he would only stop breathing after each and every single one of those bastards was under tombstones.

"And Takuma-kun of course, not to forget," Sara continued in a very cheerful voice as if she hadn't sensed Kaname's slight distemper. Takuma blushed all over the face from the sudden interest Sara took in him, which shouldn't have startled him so much as the blond pureblood always was very happy to talk to him and Kaname wondered if that interest was one day going to hurt his friend. He didn't particularly like Sara and her obsession with him, but he thought even lesser of her obsession with Takuma. If she one day chose to come after them, only Kaname would stand a chance.

"You two have become so much higher since last time. Especially you, Kaname. You're just as high as I am now. Wouldn't it be funny if you outgrew me in the future?" Sara smiled with a smile so tender and beautiful that even Kaname had to admit that she was pretty. When turning around, he saw the dead end puppy look in Takuma's eyes and he quietly gripped the noble's arm and pulled him towards a table at the other end of the hall. "Excuse us, Sara, but I think we'll go and get some drinks," Kaname said as he disappeared into the big crowd of people.

The Shirabuki family nowadays wasn't a big family. Sara still had her parents as they, very unusually, had chosen to get children at an early age. She had a fiancé although he didn't treat her that well as he was older than her parents even. Normally, she used time at the few soirée she attended to chat with Kaname. And Takuma, too, when she saw her chance.

Kaname pushed through the crowd and located his way over to a small table with drinks, literally sticking one into Takuma's hand. "Why couldn't we stay for a little?" Takuma asked with a bit of disappointment in his voice as he nipped to the drink. Kaname also got a drink in hand and stared blankly at the scenario in front of him. "Because I don't like her. And neither should you. I don't think she is trustable," Kaname said, turning to meet someone who'd come to greet him.

"Kaname-sama," the girl said, looking up at him with barely concealed adoration in her eyes. Kaname knew he'd seen her before, at least once or twice. She always came running to his side to talk with him the moment he arrived, but had probably contained herself because she saw that he was talking to Sara. Her hair was short, just below the ears, peach colored, and her eyes were big and honey brown. Kaname tried to remember her name but he wasn't quite sure he'd ever received it. "The daughter of… Souen, right?"

The girl's eyes got bright, apparently immensely happy that he remembered who she was although he only knew her surname. "Yes," she whispered, obviously fighting for something to say. Kaname knew he'd seen her when she was young and also at another soirée, where she'd been with a boy. That boy was apparently always in her surroundings as he quickly stepped in, laying a hand on her shoulder. "Ruka. I think we should give Kaname-sama some private life, don't you agree?" he said politely and pulled her a little away.

"Akatsuki. Don't interfere," Souen answered a bit distracted as the boy lead her away. He bowed down to whisper silently in her ear, clearly believing that Kaname couldn't hear him. "He's a pureblood, Ruka." Souen blushed when she apparently was caught in the act and they both left in a hurry.

Kaname stood back beside the table, while Takuma, who'd witnessed the entire conversation, but hadn't heard the last bit, looked after them. Stupid kids, don't understanding that Kaname's hearing was even more delicate than a noble's. However, as much as he'd wanted to remain untouched by everything, Kaname couldn't stop himself from feeling hurt. _A pureblood._ It might be a blessing in some ways, such as almighty powers and eternal life, but it sure also was a curse.

Takuma laid a hand on his shoulder when the pureblood's feelings quickly flashed through his eyes and a brief smile lighted Kaname's face up. Even as everybody respected him, even as everybody _feared_ him, Kaname still had Takuma and he would always stay by his side.


	8. No Longer Myself

**The Spider's Web by Rondomness**

_Once again, I can't restrain myself from using a bit of the backstory in Crimson Depts in this and uhh… well, since all my stories up until now are in the same "world" like the same background for Yuki, for Kaname and so, but it also means that if you haven't read the flashback chapters of Crimson Depts, it might be difficult to understand/relate to. If you're just interested in that and doesn't want to read the entire story (although that would make Rondomness happy) the flashback chapter are fourteen, though with some things in thirteen, nineteen and twenty… and some pieces there is scattered across the fic._

_Yeah, I know the Kuran family is shown without any servants, but we know they have bodyguards, at least Kaname has and then I'm just wondering that perhaps they have servants too, they are just not allowed to go into the basement as to not find out about Yuki and so on._

_Warnings: violence, angst_

**Chapter 8: No Longer Myself**

"Kaname? Are you okay?" Takuma asked, the concern written in his face. Kaname looked shortly after the two younger nobles, heading for another blond boy who was equally looking at him in adoration just like the girl had a minute ago. Kaname recognized him as the Aidou family head's son.

"I'm fine, Takuma. I would just love… to speak to someone else than whom the Council chooses, that's all," Kaname answered hesitantly, wondering if Takuma would get hurt because of his words. He didn't though, simply looking at Kaname with an understanding gaze. He could only imagine how incredibly lonely it must be for Kaname to be feared by everybody to an extent were he had no one to trust, no one to be with and no one to rely on.

Finding that he wanted, _needed_ to know everything to better be able to comfort the pureblood, Takuma slowly asked the question that had been on his mind for hours. "Kaname? What happened before? What did my grandfather do?" Icy shivers ran down Kaname's spine at the memory. He would just like to forget about it, to lock it away in a closed drawer and throw away the key.

"It was nothing of importance," he whispered, avoiding answering directly. Takuma sighed before walking in front of him, forcing the pureblood to look at him. "Kaname, it's your right not to answer me, but I beg you to tell it. And please, if you're going to lie, then make a believable lie. Of course, it was something of importance, else you wouldn't be shaking," Takuma said, not wanting to humiliate the pureblood in public, but insistently wanting the truth.

Kaname looked down at his own, traitorous hands slightly trembling despite his best efforts. He could only praise his rare lucky star that he was with Takuma, not Ichiou. If the elder noble'd seen him shaking like this, Kaname couldn't even begin to comprehend how horribly ashamed he would have been. To show such a weak reaction to Takuma was okay, even if they were at a soirée as he knew that the noble would always cover his back, but to Ichiou no matter where they were would have been pure doom.

"It's nothing," Kaname repeated, turning his back on Takuma and hiding his hands in his pockets. It wasn't just that he wouldn't tell, he _couldn't_ tell either. Kaname knew all too well that Ichiou would be infuriated if the pureblood said anything, told anyone, even Takuma, about what was happening. When Kaname was nine years old, he'd tried telling a member of the Shiki family about everything, hoping that the Council would stop it if they knew about it and not thinking about who else than Ichiou who'd imprisoned him in the first place. He'd told him everything and begged him for help. Of course, the Shiki family was one of the greatest families in the Council, being the reason why Kaname had chosen that family from the start. However, that also meant that they already knew and he'd told Ichiou about it, who punished Kaname in the harshest manner possible without making him bleed for telling anyone.

If nothing else, that had taught Kaname to be a much more careful and considered person. He always thought about consequence before doing anything. Multiple times he'd thought of just finishing Ichiou off with a single outcome of energy when the noble turned his back on the pureblood but somehow he'd managed to restrain himself in the last moment. It would be immensely unwise to cause a conflict in the Council and in vampire society in general. Without a doubt, he would get preventive detention, possibly in the Council's own cellar.

That wouldn't do at all. Kaname might not think so much about what happened to him, but if he was gone, Rido would have no hindrance in getting to Yuki and that was unacceptable. For her, Kaname could well continue being polite and gentle towards people who had nothing to do with it, could well clench his teeth and endure his guardian's hard fists.

"Kaname, please tell me. I know that he is hurting you brutally and have done it many times before and I just want to help you," Takuma said in such a gentle, caring tone that Kaname desperately wanted to tell him. However, he was sure that if Takuma found out about even more of the things he'd been exposed to during his years under Ichiou's guardianship, the happy noble too would be in danger of ending up on Ichiou's list over persons he could hurt to make Kaname obey him. He had to make Takuma understand that, had to make him take some distance from the pureblood for his own protection. Kaname knew he would never be able to keep the caring boy from helping him if he tried to conceal the facts in the slightest way.

"Takuma, I don't want you to care this much about me, you'll just end up hurt. Now stop asking me, stop helping me, stop having anything to do with me."

It was harsh and straightforward, but it was the truth and for a moment, Kaname could see the gigantic shock pass through Takuma's eyes. "B-but Kaname, I want to support you. I want you to be able to trust me," he said, obviously still very shocked by what Kaname'd just said, but determined to stay by Kaname's side.

"No, you don't understand," Kaname tried, fighting for the right words to use. "I do trust you, I do care about you and that is why I don't want to tell you anything. Takuma, your grandfather wouldn't hesitate to hit me for telling you." That was the mild version of the story and not what Kaname had originally imagined he would like to say, but he couldn't bear to tell Takuma that his grandfather would perhaps hurt him to hurt Kaname. It was better this way, this was how it was supposed to be. Kaname would protect the ones whom he cared about without their knowledge of what he was protecting them from. It was the same way with Yuki. He was protecting his loved ones from danger and protecting them from emotional hurt by concealing the reasons for his protection.

That new prospect seemed to only dawn on Takuma now and his curious eyes turned worried. "Would he… hurt you for telling me?" he asked as if he couldn't believe Kaname's words to be true. As if it was unbelievable for a guardian who hit his ward without remorse to beat him if he told anyone of the abuse. The regret was clear in Takuma's green eyes when he realized that he'd pushed the pureblood towards the very same thing he tried to stop.

"Oh, I'm so sorry," Takuma said, feeling a bit awkward at the same time. Kaname was so closed, it was impossible to wring the slightest comment from him. Even if he didn't like something, he never said anything until you pressed him enough. And even if Takuma wanted to partake in all his worries, to make him feel better and to comfort him, Kaname didn't let him.

"Is there really nothing I can do?" he asked next, trying to find a way to slip inside Kaname's mind. The pureblood didn't answer him, only giving him a faint shake with the head. There wasn't a goddamn thing Takuma could do to change anything. He knew he didn't stand a chance from the moment Rido'd pulled him towards the door of the Ichijo Estate for the very first time, knew he could do nothing to prevent himself from ending up in the hands of the Council. He'd known it since that day six years ago and he still knew that he was caught by their grim hands. It made him feel tainted.

Kaname partly supported himself against the table, trying to keep his façade in place but he felt it crumpling. It was difficult for him to feel anything but despair. The only bright spot in his life right now was his promised visit at Yuki's house in a little less than a week, to see her school play. He had to cling unto that mental image, that happy thought to keep himself upright.

Sometimes, Kaname wondered if he was sane. He didn't know what to make of anything, but he lived there, under abuse, with only a few people to trust and no free reign and it seemed as if his mind was reeling whenever he thought of it. For the past two days, he'd been having scary dreams and it freaked him out. He knew it just was the result of Ichiou's new types of abuse and that his mind was destroyed, giving him no rest whatsoever, but he hated it.

"Kaname, come here. We have things to discuss with you," Kaname heard Ichiou call, the pureblood turning around and standing face to face with his guardian. He could see some of the other council members behind Ichiou and Kaname was completely sure of what this was all about. It wasn't unusual that he was pulled to the side during a soirée and then asked inappropriate questions about things which Kaname didn't think they should partake in in the slightest way.

Slowly, he followed Ichiou, giving Takuma an apologetic and reassuring smile. As usual, they pulled him into a side office to the hall in which the soirée was held and almost literally placed him in a chair in the middle of the room before sitting down around him. It was almost like a lawsuit. The Council always asked him the same questions as if they were determined to squeeze every single piece of information out of him.

"Kaname, tell us about the evening your family died," the Shiki family head said, eyeing him with a slightly mocking smile. The worst thing, however, was not the questions, but the fact that he knew that their interest wasn't anything anyone could put a finger at. It was only natural for someone in charge of the entire vampire world , someone who's job was to protect the purebloods, to ask what had happened a night where two purebloods suddenly past away.

The problem was that Kaname was sure that they had some other interest in it than just normal duties to society. The Council's explanation had always been that the Kuran couple committed suicide, due to having lived too long, something not unknown among purebloods. Kaname had always known that that wasn't the case. The people he knew well enough, loved dearly enough to call them his parents were murdered by Rido, but if he told anyone about such a thing, they would probably call him crazy, especially if it was the Council. They covered over Rido although Kaname wasn't sure why.

One thing, he was completely sure of though. He didn't want to tell those vultures anything about that night and whenever they had tried to get him to talk, he either stayed silent or told a story about what he had been doing that evening. It was completely made-up and the first time he'd gradually added details as he talked. He'd been so young the first time that he wasn't even sure why he had lied to them, but now, looking backwards, he was sure that that had been a wise decision.

In the beginning he hadn't answered their questions but after Ichiou had punished him for his ignorance, he came to realize that he had handled it wrong and afterwards he'd begun to tell them a completely made up story about his activities that evening. "I think I've already told you everything I know," Kaname said, trying to avoid their questions which ripped open his old wounds. Even though it had only been for eight years he still saw them as his parents, the only parents he truly remembered. "Kaname," Ichiou said, Kaname knowing it was meant as a threat. He shouldn't try to avoid it.

Taking a deep breath, Kaname started telling the same story he'd told them over and over. It pained him to tell it, not because he felt bad for lying but because he couldn't tell the story without having to think of that night. "Well, my parents had been away the most of the day, I guess they left at two pm and came back at around ten. We enjoyed some breakfast together and then, they received a phone call. They both left shortly afterwards and told me to stay at home. That was the last time I saw them."

"Do you know who called them?" another member of the Council asked, someone who Kaname barely knew and who surely didn't know about Kaname getting beaten. All the pureblood had told them up until now was correct, except that he'd seen his mother in Rido's house, but to match his description of the night, he had to tell them that he hadn't seen them afterwards as he didn't want the Council to know that he went to Rido's house. "I'm not sure. They had been at some meetings earlier so I guess it might have been a colleague."

Kaname was actually pretty sure that it had been either Cross or Shizuka, but he wasn't about to say that at the moment. The Council had afterwards concluded that it had been someone telling them something tragic which would have led them to commit suicide. "Did you notice any strange behavior that evening? Any signs of depression?"

"No," Kaname answered automatically. Normally, they didn't dig that deep and Kaname wouldn't give them a single thread of anything related to reality. Then, he realized that it perhaps would be better to act innocently. "I-I mean… I don't think so, but my memories of the evening before I found out about them are rather hazy."

"Well, we can understand that, but it would be good if you could try to describe the evening more in detail," Ichiou said, giving Kaname a fake, friendly smile. The pureblood didn't know why they were so interested in Kaname's version of the story although he was sure that they weren't trying to bring his parents justice.

"I awoke around eight o'clock and a servant informed me about my parents being away on business. And since, in the months before they… it was often the case, I simply settled down with a book and read until their return. It was about ten when my parents came back from a meeting and uhh, we ate and talked as usually. They told me about the meeting, it was something about co-existence, although I don't remember what exactly. And then they received this phone call and left shortly afterwards. I'm sorry but I can't make it more detailed than that. I only heard about them being… dead… a few hours later," Kaname finished, telling them a story matching his previous almost to perfection. He told them what he thought they wanted to hear.

"Please leave us alone," Ichiou suddenly asked of the lower councilmembers, something Kaname definitely didn't like. Nausea was beginning to hit him when the others left him alone with only Ichiou, Shiki and a few others, all the heads who had been attending the party. All of them knowing about Ichiou's "methods", a fact that made Kaname quite worried for his health.

"Kaname, why do you keep telling us this story? We know it's fake," Ichiou started, looking at Kaname with a knowing smile. Kaname couldn't say he was surprised, he knew well that Ichiou and perhaps a few others knew about his false story of the evening. However, he was determined not to tell them anything. "Well Ichiou, how do you know it's fake? How about you telling me what really happened, because I would love to hear that. My family did not commit suicide, I know that, I also know who killed them, but what I don't know is why the Council's covering his crimes."

Kaname probably shouldn't have said the last few things but if they were planning to tell him, he would risk even a severe beating if he could just find out about the Kuran tragedy. Ichiou looked as if he might boil over any time, enraged by Kaname's words, but he simply stood up and walked in front of the pureblood. "Kaname, I don't think it is wise for you to say things like that to us. Give us what we want. Remember the consequences, Kaname. I could easily get you accused of your parents' murder. You can't break free of the fact that I'm your guardian," Ichiou mocked him, eyeing him with a cruel gaze.

"I'm not a child anymore," Kaname said as if that was answer enough. He glared viciously at Ichiou, who immediately gave him a slap across the face hard enough to turn his head to the other side. "No, you're not a child, but I'm nonetheless your guardian and as long as I am that, I'm responsible for you, also meaning that it's my responsibility to make you behave properly. And believe me when I say this. If you don't play nicely I'll have you locked up in a basement for the rest of your life."

Kaname stared back without blinking even as fear swallowed him whole. He couldn't afford to let them know that he was scared of getting locked up. It would be most unfortunate if they ever saw such a side of him. Ichiou pulled him up from the chair, giving him another swift blow to the head. Kaname's hand automatically flew up to protect his face when the next blow fell down on him.

The other councilmembers simply looked passively while Ichiou hit Kaname various times, only watching and doing nothing to stop it. _Are you not going to stop him? Just letting him beat a child before your very eyes? You're the worst, all of you…_

Kaname didn't say a thing though, refused to admit that it hurt when Ichiou hit him like that. His legs swayed dangerously though and there wasn't much he could do to avoid that he collapsed, unable to hold him up any longer. His legs couldn't support him and he fell down on them, close to hitting the floor full force if strong arms hadn't held him up.

Two of the others held him up painfully rough by the arms, strong hands creating manacles around his wrists as they forced him upright. Kaname twisted futilely for a second before realizing that he was not getting away and savoring himself the humiliation of trying to twist out of the grown ups' hands. Ichiou suddenly stopped hitting him, instead simply pulling back and eyeing Kaname in cruel menace.

"Look at me, Kaname," Ichiou demanded in a soft voice, completely different from his wild assault a moment ago. Kaname stared into the ground, refusing to be commanded around like that. Like hell he would do as Ichiou said. "Look at me." A rough hand entangled in his brown hair and yanked his head up. Ichiou squatted and looked the young pureblood directly in the face. "Give me your blood. Grant it to me officially and I'll stop everything. Defy me and I will make your life hell."

Kaname hissed lowly at him in a last defiance before a knotted fist he didn't even know came from dug into his stomach and the pureblood's form crumpled on the floor, only held up by merciless hands. Ichiou continued to hit Kaname, still restrained and partly lying on the floor. The pureblood closed his mouth tightly, refusing to let a single sound pass by his lips but it was a losing battle. He tried so badly to grit his teeth, to close his eyes and hold his face expressionless but he couldn't stop the agony from showing in his face or a slight whimper from escaping his lips.

When Ichiou apparently decided that it was enough, Kaname's head hung limply, he wasn't resisting anymore, barely able to move. With two fingers, Ichiou pressed Kaname's head up, forcing him to look at the noble. "Did I make myself clear?" Ichiou asked casually, feeling Kaname's hot breath against his hand and faintly hearing his ward's difficult breathing. With an enormous force of will, Kaname stopped himself from answering, merely glaring at his guardian without being able to put real effort into his gaze.

Ichiou kicked him roughly in the stomach and pain radiated throughout Kaname's being, making him say what the elder vampire wanted to know. "Yes," he whispered, broken. It was so terribly degrading for him to be forced to this. Ichiou raised his hand, making ready to hit him again and Kaname's entire being got flooded with fear. His body was terribly sore and he didn't want it to hurt. "Yes," he repeated quickly, pulling backwards to at least try and conceal his face.

The noble lowered his arm while the other councilmembers released Kaname from the death grip they'd held him in. Kaname fell forward, not being able to hold himself upright or even to take the fall with his arms. Ichiou caught him before he smashed into the ground and pulled him upright, arm sliding around the boy's shoulders to hold him in place. Although Kaname felt disgusted, he couldn't stop himself from supporting his head on Ichiou's shoulder, seeking a comfortable place for him to rest.

Quickly, Ichiou took off his coat while still holding Kaname and wrapped the nearly unconscious pureblood in it to conceal him a little. "I'm going to leave with him now," Ichiou said, smiling down at the pureblood mockingly when his hand reached up and took a weak hold on the noble's suit to support himself.

Kaname supported himself on Ichiou, learning against the noble and tumbling halfheartedly after him when he headed for a backdoor, Kaname spotting Ichiou's black limousine outside. He limped badly, but somehow managed not to fall to the ground completely.

When they stepped outside, fear struck Kaname for a second. In a short moment, he thought that his body had betrayed him, showing his feelings on the outside. He thought he cried. Then he realized that it was just raining and he calmed himself immediately. The cold drops cooled him down a bit, which helped a lot.

Ichiou squeezed Kaname's wounded shoulder and smirked to himself when he heard the pureblood's wheezing breath against his shoulder. The elder vampire eyed the huge estate shortly, afterwards the parking lot. Nobody was to be seen which was very good. It wouldn't have been good if anyone saw him here, standing in the rain with a barely conscious pureblood by his side, various signs of Kaname's mistreatment beginning to appear on his ward's pale skin. On some deep, primal level of consciousness, Ichiou found it slightly arousing to know that he'd beaten a mighty pureblood into submission, forced him to confess.

Ichiou seated Kaname inside the car and covered him with the jacket. "I'm getting Takuma, you stay here until I return. Behave and don't do anything rash. When I come back with my grandson I want you to behave flawlessly and don't tell anything to him, do you understand me? I already know that you've told him about the beatings and I will make sure to punish you for that when you've regained strength but I don't want him involved," Ichiou said before smacking the door as he went back towards the party, leaving Kaname alone in the huge car.

Weakly, Kaname pulled the jacket closer around himself even as it reeked of the older vampire. Ichiou's personal scent smelled like tobacco and it was a very cozy, thick aroma that made Kaname want to gag. He curled together on the car seat, looking out of the window and awaiting Takuma. However, how much Kaname wished to tell the noble everything and feel his arms around himself, the pureblood didn't dare defy Ichiou and he would do as the noble'd told him to.

When Takuma and Ichiou returned, Kaname had fallen asleep in the car.

"Kaname? Kaname?" Takuma asked, lightly wakening the pureblood. He had been completely out since yesterday, not when his grandfather and him had entered the car, not when the car started driving, not even when they carried him from the car into the house and placed him in bed had Kaname awoken. Now he stirred restlessly on the bed until his eyes opened.

"Uhh, yes?" he asked, looking around in complete confusion. The young pureblood had difficulties remembering what had happened but when he tried to move, he remembered all too well. A sharp pain ran through his entire body and he barely stopped a sharp gasp from betraying his hurt.

Luckily, Takuma didn't notice anything and continued in the same carefree manner. "You've got a call from Cross again." Kaname's head snapped up and despite the hurt he sat bold upright and stared at Takuma. How stupid Cross were. Kaname had thought that he'd made it fairly clear that he should never call Kaname no matter what. Kaname didn't even respond to Takuma, simply almost jumping out of the bed and pulling on a pair of trousers before storming past the stunned noble and out in the corridor.

"How many times have I not said that you shouldn't call?" Kaname almost shout into the telephone before realizing that it wasn't Cross on the other side. All of his anger, caused by nausea and fright disappeared in an instant. "I'm sorry, Kaname-sama."

"Oh, no, I'm the one who's sorry, Yuki, I didn't mean that. You know, it's just not that good if you call okay? But why did you call?" Kaname asked, in a much gentler tone than he would have used against Cross if it'd been him. The pureblood had been ready to smash the phone or perhaps hang up or something like that, but now he was interested.

"I'm sorry, Kaname-sama," Yuki repeated before answering his question. "I would just love to see you sooner than my play," she said, her voice cheering up completely. Kaname didn't understand, she'd been so obsessed with that play and she couldn't be expecting him to sneak out twice. Even though she had no idea what Kaname was put through at a daily basis, she knew it wasn't easy for him to leave and only did it occasionally. "I can't come twice, Yuki, so what would you like me to come to and when?" Kaname asked gently, deciding that no matter what he would do as she wished.

"Then I choose this time as it's something far greater than the play. Couldn't you come tonight? Or maybe tomorrow?" Yuki asked cheerfully, apparently completely addicted to whatever it was that she needed to show Kaname. The pureblood tried thinking about possible times where he could sneak out in the nearest future, but it seemed like he just had to take a chance if he would please little Yuki. "Okay, Yuki. I'll see if I can come tomorrow."

"Perfect. I miss you so much already, Kaname-sama. And there is someone you just _have_ to meet."


	9. Lost to Cruelty

**The Spider's Web by Rondomness**

_I guess this will be the second last chapter of this story, afterwards Tears of Blood will be posted, first chapter is almost done. I know I haven't left any review responses (yes, you might scold me) but I think my system will be that I'll finish the stories first before answering all the questions I've received during it. So if you have any questions, please leave them as a review or private message :D_

_Also, I know about the thing with the calls being made-up, but I guess after Cross for years had told Kaname all kinds of fake stories that he would believe in and rush over (and presumably get punished for it afterwards) and I guess Kaname simply became more and more freaked out about Ichiou finding out over the years until he finally asked Cross not to call anymore._

_And yes, I know it states "the three of us started living at Cross Academy around this time" but as it is "around" I kind of changed it a little because it seemed so random to put the entire "moving house thing" in when that's not what's important._

_Warnings: Angst, very dark themes as self-hatred and despair. Also yaoi non-con, pedophilia. Small violence._

**Chapter 9: Lost to Cruelty**

"Kaname, are you sure this is a good idea?" Takuma asked absentmindedly, his green eyes eyeing the silent pureblood by his side. Kaname sighed almost audibly, tired of explaining that he'd promised Yuki to come this evening and that there was no avoiding it. Besides, he _wanted_ this, wanted on so deep a level in his mind that it was almost instinct. "Takuma, it's going to be fine as long as you're with me, okay? I mean, even if he finds out there is not much he can do until I get home, right?"

"I know, but uhh… it was you I was worried for, not Yuki-chan," Takuma answered, an apologetic smile on his face now. He knew that being worried for Kaname rather than for Yuki and mentioning it was like stepping on a landmine. The pureblood hated when people were worried for him, but it was nothing compared to his anger when Yuki was overseen and Takuma knew that. "…Yuki asked me to come and I promised that I would," Kaname say, restraining himself and ending the discussion.

Takuma waited a little, only watching his friend worriedly. He cared deeply for Kaname and it pained him to know that what they were doing right now might end up hurting the pureblood. The young noble took a deep breath before continuing their conversation. "So, Kaname, why did Yuki-chan want to see you?"

"There is someone I have to see, according to her. I guess it must be a friend or something like that as I think she's too old for wanting me to meet any of her dolls now," Kaname added with a little humor. When she was younger, Yuki used to tell him about all of her dolls and if he really concentrated, he could, with a pureblood's good memory and sheer interest of everything that was going on in Yuki's life, remember some of their names too.

Takuma nodded in agreement. Even as he'd never spoken with her personally, Takuma had quite a clear picture of who Yuki was as he'd seen her many times from the car across the street, seen her hug Kaname tightly and seen how that lighted his face up in a completely different way than he himself would ever be able to light it up no matter how hard he tried. She seemed like a sweet, although a bit childish, girl who adored Kaname to the point of idolatry. But then again, who didn't do that? With the exception of his own grandfather, Takuma didn't know a single person who didn't love and respect Kaname at first sight, himself included. _His grandfather_. Takuma didn't know what he should think of him anymore. It made him hurt and confused at seeing him being kind to Takuma one moment, then hear him scold or beat Kaname the next.

On the other side, Takuma didn't quite understand the special attachment Kaname felt for the girl. In his eyes, yes, she was cute and probably sweet also, and yes, she was times of times better than his grandfather for Kaname, but why the pureblood would risk getting beaten roughly each and every time and still insist on visiting her as soon as she called him was beyond Takuma's understanding. Not that it changed anything anyway, as long as Kaname was happy, Takuma would keep his secrets, follow him, make sure he got back and forth as safely as possible.

"Although… I think I, selfish as it may be, want to always be number one," Kaname smiled, staring out of the window as he spoke as if to himself more than to Takuma. The noble looked confused at him. "Number one?" he asked, not exactly sure what the pureblood meant. For Takuma, Kaname was number one and would forever be number one no matter what. "I don't want there to be anyone else whom she cares about, although that is a selfish look at things. I guess I simply just don't want to share her with anyone," the pureblood murmured breathlessly, ashamed a little by admitting his thoughts so directly.

"Takuma, isn't there anybody whom you feel that way about?" Kaname asked with a half-smile, an out-of-world kind of expression on his face now. Takuma blushed deeply, a dark, reddish color spreading all over his face in a matter of seconds. Kaname hadn't asked out of cruelty or because he really needed an answer, he asked simply out of wanting to share some part of himself with the noble, however Takuma received it. The noble had been completely unprepared for the question and therefore, his answer was said in a stuttering, unsure voice. "I don't think I've had the luck of attracting someone's attention."

Kaname seemed settled with the answer, at least, he didn't dig any further, sensing the displeasure it caused Takuma. The pureblood refocused on the road and the setting sun. It was almost invisible by now, when they arrived at Yuki´s house it would be pitch-black outside the car. They were actually pleasantly close to her home now, something that made Kaname slightly relaxed. He'd nervously glanced out the window, behind the car countless times to make sure that Ichiou weren't following them but luckily, it seemed like the elder noble didn't know that they'd left the estate, at least not yet.

However, that didn't matter. Even if he found out and punished the pureblood, Kaname wanted to see Yuki with his entire being, simply because she'd asked for it and because he saw her way too little already. He'd only seen her twice since her eleventh birthday three months ago. Kaname dreaded Yuki's birthdays. He both hated and loved them, but most of all he was scared of them. Of course, it was a tender opportunity to meet with her and he loved celebrating it with her, but it was the one time in the year that Kaname could worry for days before the date even. Because Yuki would run around in town, searching for him and waiting and he hated that.

It had been close last time. So close. Too close. And if he ever caught sight of that vampire again, he'd surely rip him to pieces. Kaname had just arrived in time to avoid a collision between little Yuki and some stray vampire from who knew what family. He'd been a noble but apparently not a well-known one as Kaname never had seen him at any gatherings before or after. He'd been well on his way to attack little Yuki, but when Kaname'd arrived, he had acted accordingly and bowed for him. Kaname, who hadn't seen it as being confirmation enough, had bared his fangs at him again afterwards, just to further emphasize his point of humans being a no-go, of course only after Yuki had turned around to hug him. She should not get entangled in the dangerous, half political, half instinctual world of vampires. Kaname was already a well-known pureblood and the vampire world knew well about his sight of humans as more than a food-source, so usually, most vampires kept their distance from humans in his presence.

"Are you staying in the car?" Kaname asked as usual when he brought Takuma along, although it was completely unneeded. Takuma always stayed in the car, knowing Kaname wouldn't like it one bit if there was someone else, especially not another vampire who to top it all was connected to his "other world", interrupting his short time with Yuki. Takuma nodded anyway, receiving a short, reassuring smile from Kaname before the pureblood stepped out of the car and started moving towards the house. This time, they'd stopped closer to the house than usual, mostly because they were a little late and because Kaname had made sure that nobody followed.

When Kaname opened the car door, something tugged at his senses. _Vampire_. Takuma too had noticed and he learned slightly out of the open door to try and locate it. They shared a worried look, but then Kaname simply shrugged and shut the door, determined on not letting himself get freaked out although it appeared that the vampire was close, perhaps even inside the house.

The scent was million times stronger for each step he took in direction of the house and Kaname started noticing more. Finding out that it wasn't a pureblood was his first priority, next finding out that it wasn't Level E either. No, not Level E, but certainly not higher than an ex-human. It was really coming from inside the house, something that filled Kaname with worry.

Another unusual thing was that Yuki was not waiting for him in the window as she used to, making Kaname further frightened. Without hesitation he knocked harshly at the door, perhaps a bit rougher than needed since he was rather concerned at this point. However, he did not wish to frighten little Yuki if nothing was wrong so he concentrated deeply on calming down when he heard quick footsteps behind the door.

Yuki opened the door for him and the scent rushed into his face. Yes, the vampire definitely was in the house, very close to Yuki, not more than a few meters away. Kaname's pureblooded hearing quickly picked up on the conversation in progress, Cross saying something to an unknown person, most likely the vampire, in the living room.

"...think you'll understand." A younger voice, the vampire, someone Kaname didn't know, answered him the second the door opened completely. "Understand what?" Yuki's face lighted up in a great smile, although it was clear to Kaname's eyes that she was a little nervous too. The living room had fallen silent the moment the door opened. Kaname took a second to notice every little detail about her as usual, to admire her growing beauty, but he was too tense to notice anything but her little black wool dress, having a few buttons and a ruff in white.

"Kaname-sama!" she said, the pureblood resting his hand on the top of her tender head and slowly letting it slide down to her cheek. Then, her small hand held it close to the little face, breathing in his scent as he was currently breathing in hers. "Kaname-sama, umm…" At a loss of words, she took his hand in hers and led him into the living room.

"What it is?" Kaname asked, giving her a bright smile despite his tense eyes. At the same time his eyes darted towards the other vampire and Cross, sitting at a small dining table, his hand took a faster hold of Yuki and he pulled her closer, almost by instinct as much as thought. With his usual façade in place, he turned completely around and stared into a pair of slivery eyes, widened in shock.

By Cross's side, a boy sat, not more than two years younger than Kaname. He was wearing a pair of black trousers and a white shirt, but the most distinctive about him was undoubtedly his unusual hair and eye color and the huge bandage around his neck. And for Kaname's senses, the strange mixture of different blood in him.

They held each other's eyes for a second, the boy in wild shock and disgust and Kaname with his calm façade back in place. Who was this boy? This boy who intruded upon the only place he considered his home, who looked back at him with disgust although he must be aware of Kaname's status already, and who, worst of all, apparently had started living side by side to the girl whom Kaname loved so dearly. How dared he?

"Zero…" Yuki murmured uncertainly, nervous about the two boys' evil glares to each other and the way Kaname was nearly holding her hand so tightly it hurt. When the pureblood realized his mistake, he quickly eased up although his gaze still was fixed upon the intruding vampire. Intruding into Kaname's own, private little heaven.

The boy's reaction was to grasp a knife at the table and throw himself forward, aiming directly at Kaname's heart. Yuki, innocent and selfless as she was, threw herself in between them with a shocked little yell of surprise. With a quick reaction to Yuki's drastic try of protecting Kaname, the pureblood pushed her backwards, behind himself, feeling a short stab of pain when the boy buried the short knife in his arm. "Vampire!" Slowly, the blood started gathering at the wound and began sliding down his arm. "Kaname-sama!" Yuki screamed in such a horribly frightened voice that Kaname almost smiled. Of course, it wasn't exactly pleasant to get a knife plunged directly into his arm, but even as the boy named Zero had put all of his strength into it, it didn't go deep in and he would be perfectly fine in a matter of minutes.

Cross looked as if he'd just received an electrical shock for a moment before his face calmed down again and little Yuki's eyes were so big and frightened, but the boy simply met Kaname's eyes again, twisting the knife a little around with an almost insane look. Kaname looked down at him in absolute disgust. "You just run right up and stab me? That's rather cruel, don't you think?" he calmly asked the boy who bared his teeth at him in response. From the size of his canines and from his obvious ignorance of Kaname's blood, it was easy to guess that he had not yet fallen to Level E, not even so deep down that he had started yearning for blood, although he was already a vampire and although he certainly already must be aware of his faith.

"Shut up, vampire!" he hissed, twisting the knife a little more around to try and wrench a response from the pureblood, who remained just as silent as before. "You reek just like that woman did!" the infuriated boy continued. That last bit of information made the puzzle pieces fall together inside Kaname's mind. Yuki'd called him Zero and if Kaname didn't remember too terribly wrong, that was the name of one of the cursed twins of the hunters, from the Kiryuu family, who'd just been attacked by Shizuka recently.

Yes, this was indeed Kiryuu Zero, from the distinctive Kiryuu family of vampire hunters. That would explain why Cross had taken him in as he himself had been a huge name in the hunters' world some fifteen years ago until he'd suddenly stopped twelve years ago. "That woman? Kiryuu Zero, isn't it?" Kaname asked well considered as if he didn't know perfectly well who the boy was after a second of examining his brain for information.

"I've heard about what happened to your family. I'm sorry. However," Kaname said, taking a fast grip around the blade of the knife and pulling it out, throwing the bloodied equipment away. "… I have no intention whatsoever about letting you kill me." The knife hit the floor with an ominous sound. The boy stared at the knife, his teeth tearing at his lip in despair.

Chairman Cross, who'd stood as some sort of statue in the background, approached him and lightly took a hold of his tender shoulders. "Kiryuu, he is not your target," Cross said in his always so reassuringly and calming tone, dragging the boy away and leading him to what Kaname believed was his new room.

Yuki stood frozen in place for a couple of seconds, simply watching them walk away. Then, it appeared she was reminded of Kaname's injury and she turned to him, looking almost just as shocked and frightened as before. "Kaname-sama, you're injured!" she burst out, Kaname giving her a calm, reassuring smile to make her fall down. However, in a way… her concern warmed him, made him feel like she still cared for him even if there was someone else who lived by her side and who needed help also, someone who she was already so attached to after so short time that she didn't even use an honorific even as she was a very polite girl.

"It's nothing, it'll heal soon. I'm a vampire, remember?" he asked with a kind smile, showing her the rapidly closing wound. "And… it's not me who is in agony," he added in a whisper. Kaname might hate the Kiryuu boy from the very beginning, not because he'd tried attacking him, but because he could stay with Yuki all the time and because in a way, although that hadn't been the intention, Yuki had stepped in between them and put herself in danger. But despite that, Kaname was not a cruel person by nature and he had to admit that it must be frightening and confusing to be put through a slow change into a vampire, especially when it wasn't something he'd wanted in the slightest way.

Yuki seemed not to notice his sinister tone. "Oh, I'm so sorry, Kaname-sama. I didn't know he would react that way. I'm sorry, we should have told him about you before, but we didn't think he would be so angry at seeing you. It… It's not his fault, Kaname-sama, please don't blame him. I'm sorry," she continued apologizing, her little face close to crying.

Kaname learned closer to her face, sitting down beside her and holding her against himself, nuzzling her hair calmingly. "No, you shouldn't say sorry. It's me who should apologize for frightening you so," he smiled breaking off the hug and looking her in the eyes. "I'm sorry."

"Maybe, I should leave now," he suggested, giving her a quick, apologetic look when her small eyes widened. She began shaking her head quickly, but Kaname stopped her by holding up a finger. "It's better if I leave," he said, heading for the door, automatically reaching out for his overcoat, but then remembering that he hadn't even had time to take it off.

"Are you ever going to visit me again?" Yuki asked, on the brink of tears. Kaname turned to stare at her. Did she think that because Cross had brought a little, impudent boy who clearly didn't know his place in the vampires' social system, then Kaname wouldn't come to visit _her_? The despair was like a black hole in his soul, gnawing at the sides and rapidly expanding. "I'll always come," he whispered lightly, before storming out of the house.

Takuma was waiting for the pureblood in the car, but Kaname didn't feel like talking about anything right now. However, it seemed like Takuma was in talking-mode. "You're back, Kaname. Is your errand already done?" he asked, camouflaging the real purpose of it to the driver as long as he stood outside the car, watching the pureblood get inside. Even though Ichiou probably would never ask him, Kaname made sure that Takuma understood that no one should know anything. Kaname gave him a quick smile, although it burned in his face to do such a thing. "No, I'll have to return later," he said as he shut the door tightly, only now being able to talk about the real matter.

Takuma noticed Kaname's slightly closed mood and decided not to dig any further. "I didn't think you'd come back hurt," he said, noticing a stray drop of blood that had escaped Kaname when he'd cleaned the wound in a rush. "Want a tissue?" Takuma asked although Kaname simply licked it off. His thoughts were in wild uproar.

Why? Why did this have to happen? He loved Yuki, he'd always done and he'd always waited in the shadows, kept his tongue and simply watched as she grew up from afar. Now this… this boy, who came to live with her so suddenly, who could so easily replace Kaname in her heart, the tender little space he'd managed to create in the course of these years, Kiryuu would be able to destroy that for good.

A shiver ran up Kaname's spine although he kept a calm, composed look on his features as to not show his emotional state to Takuma. The noble didn't seem to notice. Kaname decided on talking, simply to focus on something else and guide himself away from this hurtful feeling. "I met the survivor of that incident a while ago," Kaname explained quickly, giving Takuma a short smile.

"So, Cross-san is taking care of him? Not unexpected…" Takuma started, watching the pureblood and reading him as an open book. "What is it, Kaname? Are you jealous?" Takuma knew Kaname perfectly well. The pureblood wanted to glare at him for being insolent and touch a hurting place, but it wasn't Takuma's fault and Kaname didn't want to guide his anger onto the noble.

Instead, he simply shrugged. "I don't have time to be jealous," he murmured smoothly, looking out of the window.

The rest of the drive went past without any other conversation as Takuma didn't know what to say to cheer the pureblood up, and Kaname was too engulfed in his own feelings for talking. It was only when they reached the estate and saw the person waiting for them, or perhaps, more correctly, waiting for Kaname, that the pureblood was brought back to reality. By a pair of steely, grey eyes.

However, Kaname couldn't care less at the moment, too lost in his own feelings and Ichiou could have been an insect in the air. The pureblood barely noticed him when he scolded Kaname for leaving or when he threatened with grave punishment, of course only after he'd sent Takuma back to his room. The pureblood simply looked up at him, tired and unfocused.

That look was too much for Asato and he gripped the pureblood's arm harshly and started dragging him along. Until he heard a deadly, fiery voice that sent tremors down his spine. "Leave me alone." Kaname's voice could have frozen the sun, his eyes completely dark and not the least humane.

Stunned, Ichiou let go of his arm for a second, Kaname continuing in his steady tempo all the way into the house. "Where do you think you're going?" Ichiou raged and reached out for the boy once more, but Kaname simply brushed his hand away. The pureblood continued all the way to his room without looking back or paying attention to his guardian.

"Then you can stay in there until you're more tractable," Ichiou shout just the moment Kaname closed the door behind himself. He heard the key turn in the door but didn't pay attention. The pureblood threw his overcoat at the bed and bit his lower lip to stop the tears from running freely down his cheeks.

To try and stop himself, he looked at his own mirror reflection and breathed deeply, trying to calm his mind just as much as his body. He looked both tired and hurt, his fangs partly protruding from his mouth due to his overemotional state of mind. The pureblood gritted his teeth in frustration as the tears started falling, painting his cheeks with crystal.

_What am I? I don't deserve her. Never. I am a nobody. Nothing. There is nothing but lies. I might fool everyone, but I can't fool myself._ Kaname's hands dug painfully into his forehead as he inspected his mirror reflection. A dark creature. A cursed creature. A beast. That was the face of a beast.

_The question is not if I can live forever… the question is if I can live with myself forever._

What if Yuki came to love Kiryuu more than she loved Kaname? The pureblood knew he was being oversensitive, but he couldn't help it. He'd made her worried and as soon as he'd left, Yuki probably had went and talked with Kiryuu straight away to calm her mind. _Why? Why couldn't he be number one for her just as she was for him?_

Red began tinting his eyes as he frustrated himself more and more, on the brink of losing control with his powers as they reacted to his hurt feelings. How he despised his own mirror reflection. How he despised Ichiou and how he despised that boy. His hands got knotted into tight fist.

How despicable that mirror was. How despicable and terrible. How frustrating. He hated the boy it showed inside. Kaname couldn't keep his anger at bay anymore and a knotted fist hammered into the mirror. It broke into a million pieces, which rained down over him.

Kaname watched the broken mirror, still infuriated and hurt and he turned around, turning the room into the site of an earthquake. Windows were destroyed, pillows ripped apart, chairs splintering. Kaname watched the scenario in front of him with an almost insane look of satisfaction. Yes, destroy it, break this prison into pieces.

The noise attracted attention from the servants, from every person in the surroundings, even humans as the splintering room was destroyed in a matter of seconds. In a matter of seconds, Ichiou unlocked the door and smacked it open, seeing Kaname stand in the middle of the destroyed room with a calm expression.

Unlike what most of his servants would have expected from their somewhat cruel master, especially when it came to scolding and punishing his ward for the slightest misbehaving, Ichiou didn't shout at him, didn't hit him, didn't even flinch. Instead, he let his eyes wander across the room, watching the whole destruction before they went back to Kaname.

Only Kaname knew how bad this was. Knew he had seriously stepped over the border and that Ichiou was so infuriated he didn't even become angry. When Ichiou refocused on him, Kaname began walking to his side, not waiting for Ichiou to ask him. He already knew what the noble would demand him to do now.

"I would like for you to follow, Kaname," Ichiou said, slowly laying an arm around Kaname's shoulders just as he had at the soirée after his intense beating, and pulling him down the hall and into his private office. It filled Kaname with dread to know that he was now looking forward to a serious punishment and all he'd gained was getting stabbed by the Kiryuu boy.

Ichiou was infuriated and cruelly amused at the same time. Kaname had disobeyed him, he'd escaped him and Ichiou hated when that happened. He'd destroyed a room, destroyed some of Ichiou's property and that infuriated him. But on the other side, he now had an amazing opportunity to punish Kaname thoroughly and in a way so he wouldn't try such a thing again.

"You do know how incredibly stupid what you just did was, don't you?" Ichiou asked, watching as Kaname slowly nodded, a resigned but determined look on his face now. He had accepted that Ichiou was going to hit him. That irritated the noble though. It didn't seem like physical damage was enough to pull a response from him anymore. He wanted Kaname to be afraid and to show it. A beating obviously was not enough anymore.

Ichiou gave him a stiffened smile and moved in front of the young pureblood. Kaname's eyes were steely, waiting to be hit and making sure that Ichiou knew he planned on not making a sound. Guardian and ward looked deeply into each other's eyes for a second before Ichiou looked away.

"Be still," Ichiou instructed him as the noble moved behind Kaname and an arm fell around his waist. Kaname tried to turn around but Ichiou held him too tightly. Then suddenly, he felt the elder noble's hand touching his hip.

A short, shocked yell escaped Kaname's lips at the intimate contact. When the pureblood started twisting and squirming, Ichiou's arm moved to lie over his arms as well, effectively cutting off all attempts at escaping. He was rather pleased with the reaction he got from Kaname, even though he'd only touched the boy's hip.

Ichiou's hand moved lower, resting on Kaname's slender side before lightly stroking his upper legs. Sickeningly slow, it slid up front and down over his legs again as Ichiou bowed down and touched Kaname's neck with his lips. The boy choked back a scream.

Ichiou began touching Kaname between the legs, letting his hand caress the pureblood's thighs, stroking and touching and nearly driving Kaname insane. It was torture to have this man touch him so intimately. Unknown to Kaname, the pureblood had just made it worse for himself by giving Ichiou the exact response he wanted but even if he'd known, Kaname wouldn't have been able to stop himself from gasping and sobbing.

Ichiou continued to run his hands up and down Kaname's inner thighs until the boy jerked away. "Stand still when I tell you. You're useless Kaname, you belong to me and you will do as I say. Come back and do what I tell y…" Kaname silenced Ichiou by sealing his mouth with the pureblood's hand. He just couldn't stand to hear Ichiou say he belonged to the noble.

Ichiou pulled him a little away from his body, holding his arm and thereby his body half a meter away. Kaname stared at him in horror as his hand pulled backwards before a crushing blow to the side of the young pureblood's head. He flew to the ground, unconscious.


	10. Gentle Hands and Loving Words

**The Spider's Web by Rondomness**

_Last chapter on this one. Hope you all enjoyed the story. It's kind of a build up to Tears of Blood, which hopefully will be posted in a couple of days. _

_And yes, to the die-hard Zero x Kaname and Kaname x Zero fans, I know this is not what you want but… I just love to mix even amazing romantic scenes with despair and unrequited loves._

**Chapter 10: Gentle Hands and Loving Words**

Kaname remembered nothing after he'd laid his hand over Ichiou's mouth to stop him from saying words the pureblood knew would cut wounds in his heart. He had known from the second his hand touched Ichiou's face that it had been a fatal mistake, but by then it was too late for him to retrieve his hand.

He remembered Ichiou pulled Kaname away from himself and raised his hand but then the world went black.

The next thing he knew was the feeling of soft sheets underneath him, pillows in his back to help him sit partly upright and soft hands patting his head lightly. The moment his eyes opened in a rush, realizing somebody was far too close for his liking, a pair of green eyes looked back at him with a gentle, yet worried smile.

"Kaname, are you okay?" Takuma asked in concern, still patting his head but only the top of it. He didn't dare pat lower down. Kaname looked around in confusion, trying to match his somewhat foggy memories with what he saw. This was Takuma's room no doubt, but how he'd ended up here was a mystery. Surely, Takuma himself wouldn't have been able to drag Kaname all the way and he doubted that the noble was stupid enough to call for servants when Ichiou quite obviously had hit him.

Kaname didn't know yet how bad it was, but from his intense headache and the painful throbbing coming from his left temple, the pureblood could guess that Ichiou hadn't gone easy on him. "What happened?" he asked, too lightheaded to gather his thoughts. Takuma looked at him with pitying look.

"I'm not sure, Kaname. When you destroyed your room, grandfather wanted to talk with you. I don't know what happened in there, but then grandfather came into my room, carrying you. You were unconscious and he told me to take care of you. He told me…" Takuma paused, not sure if he should mention this part. It was _wrong_ to think that way, but Kaname should know what had happened. When the pureblood gave him an encouraging smile, Takuma continued. "He told me to fix you up, so you'd be in shape for being the Ichijo family's puppet." Kaname stared at him in horror for a second, before his face returned to his usual calmness. Not completely unexpected from that vulture, Kaname knew about the way he and the rest of the Council thought of the pureblood.

"How bad is it?" he asked absentmindedly, trying to find out by himself. Concentrating just made the headache worse and now that he'd recovered from the shock, he could feel how much it hurt and throbbed from his temple. Ichiou had really hit him harshly, the noble hadn't hold back in any way.

"Well, I don't know exactly what happened, but it looks pretty bad. Your temple is swollen," Takuma explained quickly, getting Kaname a small, handheld mirror, so the pureblood could look for himself. It really was disgusting. The whole area around Kaname's left temple was swollen severely, horrible yellow, purple and bluish colors spreading under the skin and making it look nasty in some unexplainable way. To make it worse, Kaname could guess that he'd looked even more horribly before as he'd been unconscious for a few hours at least and with his pureblooded healing, it was about to lessen already, although it probably would take a few hours for it to be less visible.

"Thank you, Takuma," Kaname whispered slowly, still looking at his own reflection. Takuma gestured down to a small bowl of water and a wet cloth he'd gathered. "Is it okay if I touch it?" he asked cautiously. "It'll take away the headache." The noble had already guessed from the black circles under Kaname's eyes that he had a horrific headache. The pureblood gave a short nod. He knew it would hurt to be touched in such a hurtful place, but if it at least could dull the headache, it was worth it.

Picking up the wet cloth, Takuma slowly laid it over the swollen spot on Kaname's temple. The pureblood choked back a scream and turned his head away in a rush, something that simply increased his headache. "Sorry," Takuma whispered, Kaname pulling back slowly and learning against the pillow in his back. Again, the young noble placed the cold cloth over the wound. This time, Kaname forced himself to stay in place, even as he inhaled swiftly through his teeth.

"Why does my grandfather do something like this to you, Kaname?" Takuma asked in pain as the pureblood's face continued contracting every time the noble touched his wound. Kaname, pressing his lips together into a tight line to try and shut out his pained gasps, pulled a little backwards on the bed to put some distance between himself and the noble. Even if Takuma helped him out when he was hurt, Kaname still had difficulties looking past the close connection between the young noble and his grandfather.

"I don't know," Kaname said slowly, although it was a complete lie. Kaname knew full well why Ichiou hurt him. Because he wanted his blood. Because he hated all purebloods. Because he knew that Kaname one day would be able to end the Council and therefore wanted to hold him on a tight leash. Perhaps even because he was scared.

Takuma continued to pat his forehead with the utmost tenderness and carefulness to not cause the pureblood additional hurt. Kaname looked at his friend in mild gentleness and caring. The noble seemed so out of place here, in the middle of the Council's property with his friendly smile and easygoing nature. He might as well be a human rather than a vampire, at least when it came to behavior and habits. Takuma could stay up quite a few hours more than normal vampires and be tired in the night, even though he, as all vampires, were almost incapable of sleeping at night.

Once again, Takuma made the cloth wet and touched the pureblood's forehead. Kaname cared for no other so deeply as he cared for Takuma, with the exception of Yuki. It must be frightening for her, living in a world where she didn't understand anything. And when Kaname came visiting so little, she would cling to Kiryuu instead. That fact already killed Kaname slowly inside.

However, if Kiryuu came to care for Yuki, then by the time she would regain her memories, she would destroy him. Yuki was born to rule, to be superior to others and because of Kiryuu's strange fate, he was now made to be her servant. Even though… it didn't seem like Yuki knew about Kiryuu. Knew that she was sharing her home with a vampire. Perhaps, she didn't even know that she shared her home with a vampire hunter. Two, actually, although Cross had retired long ago.

Yuki was so much like Juri that Rido had intended to love her instead of Juri. Juri, who had said that she hated Rido after the kidnapping and death of their real child. That would be the same as if Yuki told Kaname that she hated him. That would surely drive the young pureblood mad too. However, Kaname did not sympathize with him. Rido had started it himself by killing that baby boy.

Kaname would never be able to sympathize with him, not after what he'd done to Kaname's family, to his loved one and to Kaname himself. However, it was Kaname's fault that Rido knew who and where Yuki was now. It was his fault and he'd never forgive himself.

"Kaname? Does it hurt?" Takuma asked, giving him a worried glance. The noble'd noticed his sad face and he couldn't stand to watch it. It hurt him to see the beautiful pureblooded being looking so broken. Kaname snapped back to reality and gave him an apologetic smile.

"A little, but it's okay. Sorry for making you worry," Kaname added. He felt it was his responsibility to protect Takuma in return for his friendship. It wasn't fair that Takuma simply gave Kaname comfort and love without demanding anything in return. The pureblood didn't feel like he could give Takuma enough for all the support he gave, even though the noble couldn't change what happened or protect Kaname from it.

"Kaname… do you think that you would feel comfortable with telling me with worries you so? Is it okay if I want to know everything about you and see you smile to me like you do to Yuki-chan?" Kaname looked up at him, stunned. He was not sure how to receive this and that made him hesitate. Takuma held his eyes steadily, needing to get out with his feelings.

"It's… more than okay. However, I don't think I will be able to ever smile, as long as I live here. I'm sorry, it's not your fault," Kaname whispered slowly. He was unsure about how Takuma would receive it and his burning headache didn't help. He winched slightly in pain when a constant throbbing ravaged his head and Takuma immediately noticed.

"Kaname, if it pains you so then… please help yourself," Takuma whispered in a very low voice as he suggested the taboo subject of drinking blood. He tilted his head slightly to the side exposing pale, entrancing skin. Kaname hesitated for a second, wondering if the noble would feel encountered if he refused. Then, his hand fell on top of Takuma's.

"I don't want a friendship built by you sacrificing yourself for my sake. No blood-drinking," Kaname said, not mentioning why he so despised it. It was of course unfair to Takuma to be thinking that way, but Kaname didn't want any Ichijo blood in his body ever. "So, if it's okay with you, I would like to give you something in return." Takuma looked like he hadn't understood. Then, a look of understanding dawned in his green eyes.

"You offer it to me, freely?" he asked in a disbelieving tone as if thinking that Kaname was merely teasing him. The pureblood himself was actually unsure whether this was a good idea or not, but he felt like he owed the noble something. Takuma's mouth opened and Kaname could see his partly aroused fangs.

"I can't deny that I'm attracted to your scent." The noble learned down, coming even closer to Kaname's neck. But then, in a rush, he withdrew. "But your blood belongs to you alone. And I do not wish to drink it," Takuma whispered, his fangs returning to their original size. Kaname was stunned. He didn't think that anyone would be able to resist it if the danger of drinking blood without permission was removed, but Takuma was indeed a true friend.

"You'll be okay, you'll be okay," Takuma soothed in a reassuring tone, patting the pureblood's head before picking up the wet cloth again. "Because I'll always be right here, by your side no matter what happens."

Yes, no matter what happened, Takuma would support Kaname. Even if it meant turning against his grandfather. Because he loved Kaname. And even as he knew his feelings were unreturned, it didn't change.

THE END


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